


Death Is Not Forever (Expanded Series)

by TowerofBabel



Series: Death Note Chronologies [10]
Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga), Death Parade (Anime)
Genre: (more tags to come), An Ancient Death Note, Brutality, Castra (Death Parade) - Freeform, Clavia (Death Parade), Death Parade tie-in, Decim (Death Note), Ginti (Death Parade) - Freeform, Killing, Misa (Death Note), Multi, Oculus (Death Parade) - Freeform, Quindecim, Resurrection, Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, moon god - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-06
Updated: 2021-03-12
Packaged: 2021-03-18 13:22:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 19
Words: 56,355
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29244255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TowerofBabel/pseuds/TowerofBabel
Summary: Death is inevitable to a person who uses the Death Note, the rules are succinct on this point. But can a death be reversed? A loophole that can override the Shinigami King's laws? Is there a power greater than that of the King of The Death God's? The architect behind Light Yagami picking up the Death Note finally emerges and resurrects Light with unfinished business. It's not Ryuk. But what is the 'Grand Agenda'? And who is this mastermind that threatens to bring the world to its knees with a Kira mentality? Despite a seemingly random human, why does Light Yagami have such grave importance?
Series: Death Note Chronologies [10]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1737532
Kudos: 4





	1. Welcome To Quindecim

Walking down a long hallway, and greeted at first by the appearance and the sweet sound of a waterfall, one would think they were entering a beautiful resort, and this was but the foray to a wonderful lobby. The truth was, it was the complete opposite. It was an image in an attempt to portray a fake calmness before realization set in.

"Welcome to Quindecim," a cordial, tall, white-haired man said. "I am your host, or bartender, if you prefer. My name is Decim." With an extended hand, the bartender welcomed the young man to sit on a barstool in front of the long bar. Behind Decim was an array of shelves, glasses, and a large mirror—for which the guest could see his appearance. Around him, the place gave the appearance of an average place of social gathering. "Would you like a drink?"

"No, thank-you," the young male said back. He looked around. "Where is this place? And who was that strange elevator operator who brought me up here with the creepy smile, two-tone hair, and the abundance of ear jewelry?"

"That would be Clavis," Decim replied, without needing to think about the answer. "Forgive him, it's not the first time I have heard that. He is always smiling, like a creepy clown. It's how he greets all his passengers—with smiles and good tidings."

The young man sat on the bar stool and mused. "This is a strange place. But why was I left in the waiting area for so long time? When I first found myself here, as if I awoke from a dream, I was escorted to sit and told to wait there for instructions. It felt like I have been waiting forever. I thought someone had forgotten about me?"

Decim cocked his head slightly. "In truth, we are as of yet still unsure what to do with you." The young man queried as to what he meant. Decim replied: "The matter is still being debated, but you are rather a unique guest. I normally would invite you spin the roulette wheel to choose a game to play with another, but that privilege has been waived. I have been instructed to have you wait for a Special Arbiter here. So, once again, would you like a drink?"

"No, thank-you," the young man repeated, a little annoyed. "And what do you mean by Special Arbiter? If I understand you, you mean: one who issues a judgement?"

"Correct. I am an Arbiter, but of a different kind. However, I cannot way verdict on you. You are beyond my ability."

Seeing his own face in the mirror, the young man was concerned. His brown, straight hair was slightly ruffled, as if he had been running or in a big wind storm. He looked back at Decim. "What am I being judged upon? Where am I?"

"To your first query, I cannot say. To your second question, you are in QuinDecim, and I am your bartender."

"You've already said that, and why do you talk in such monotone tones? Logically, that is sociopathic behaviour."

"Then I shall not repeat myself," Decim said shortly, and then went about his duties. He picked up a dish towel and began drying crystal glassware that had been sitting in a sink on the other side of the bar. It appeared to have been just washed, previous used, and quite recently. The young man almost felt like that Decim sounded offended. That he had made a faux pas.

The young man sat in silence for a few moments watching the bartender work. He felt a bit of shock, sitting in this strange place. He had no idea how he got here and no one was telling him anything. It was as if everything was a secret.

Once Decim had finished drying a series of crystal glassware and put them back on the shelf behind him, he turned back, towel draped over his left forearm like a server about to ask a guest for their food order in a restaurant, and said, "May I ask your name for the record? I believe I may have err'ed in not asking before."

"And to what record are you referring? Like a criminal record? My father is, or was, a member of the NPA, but he quit to work on the Kira Case. Unfortunately, the main detective working on the case mysteriously died of a heart attack. I don't remember much of what transpired, or how things went about. My memory is a little blurred."

"As to be expected, you have a form of amnesia. To my previous question: everyone who comes here must follow the rules. To play a game, you must first state your name to become a proper contestant. Merely calling your Guest is improper and impersonal. However, as stated, you are not allowed to play until a Special Arbiter arrives to speak with you. In any case, I would like to know your name as a point of congeniality."

The guest didn't say it. Instead he asked, "Who is this Special Arbiter?"

Decim paused for a moment as if attempting to compile an answer, almost like he wasn't sure what to say because something was said off-script. "There are may Arbiters in this place, but only a select few for special cases like you."

"And why am I a special case? What makes my situation so unique, as you stated earlier?"

"I'm sorry, sir, but I'm not authorized to answer that. Unless you remember details prior to your arrival, I cannot discuss them to you. Let me ask you, however: What is the last thing you remember before coming here?"

The young man thought. "Running," he answered, "almost like my life depended on it." He then looked at the clothes he wore. "But I'm dressed as if for business, not jogging or the like. I'm twenty-three years old."

"Anything else?"

He shut his eyes. "I seem to recall I was in a large building like a warehouse or something like that, but I don't know why, it's all so distant." He put his hands to his head and ruffled his hair in frustration. "I can't remember! Except…" —he gasped— "for the feeling of dread and fear. Something about where I was drove me to want to escape. I am a detective of the NPA like my late father, maybe I was in danger? But why I was in that warehouse eludes me."

"Correct—the National Police Agency in Japan. You are also listed as being a member of its Information Bureau."

"Yes, I think? That sounds familiar. I seem to recall breezing through the police foundation academy, but things are…"

"I understand," Decim said. "You can't remember. That is perfectly understandable. Like I said, you case is unique. We have never had anyone like you at Quindecim before. While the particulars of your case cannot be discussed, I am at liberty to say that memory recollection is not a linear possess. The human brain functions like a puzzle. But if not all the pieces are at play, then the picture as a whole can never be seen to its fullest."

The young man sighed. "I'm not a drinker, but maybe I will take you up on that offer for one."

Decim nodded and produced a thin smile, pleased. "What would you like? I can make you anything you wish. I have knowledge of many alcoholic mixtures and beverages and their different preparations."

Decim named off a few of the more renown choices.

"I've never had a Banana Daiquiri." The young man's face lit up as if he had found something exciting. "I would like to try that one. It may just dull the boredom."

Decim arched a brow. "Very good, sir," he said, and then went about making it.

The young man watched the bartender go about his duty. "By the way, my name is Light Yagami."

The bartender repeated his own name as if only to be cordial.

* * *

His name was Duo, mainly because he did double duty. He was an Administration/Information Officer and a Special Arbiter rolled into one. After discussing the issue of Light Yagami with his colleagues, he was both unsure and annoyed about exactly what to do with the young Japanese man who was dead.

Normally guests would play a game and the winner/loser would be judged by an Arbiter after the guest remembered how they enacted in life and were then be sent to the appropriate place, either to be Resurrected or into the Eternal Void.

But in this case, it wasn't so cut and dry.

Light Yagami despite having amnesia at the moment had conducted himself in the Human World in such a way that it was unprecedented, using a supernatural tool to murder thousands of his fellow humans under the sanctimonious guise of Godhood, believing he had the power of a deity and had been chosen to enact justice upon the wicked. He called himself Kira.

Duo had to get context on the tool used to fully understand what was going on, and when it was explained to him, he learned it was called a Death Note. It gave a person the ability to write down a person's name on its pages and kill them. The default method of death was a heart attack, but Light Yagami learned to use it engagingly—manipulating its rules to kill in provocative ways.

One rule Duo took particular interest in was about the user: they can neither go to Heaven nor Hell.

While the concept of Heaven and Hell, or the like, was created by Humans based on religious ideology, the premise of reincarnation and purgatory could be thought of as the same in Quindecim.

Permission was given to review the rules written in the Death Note requested by Administration, and a representative was sent over from the Shinigami World, who took on a human-like appearance. He said that his real identity was enough to scare small children and he didn't wish to subject anyone to it.

"And this is all of them?" Duo asked with irritation. "This is abhorrent. Why was something like this even dropped in the Human World to begin with? And this isn't the first time?"

Quindecim had a relatively moderate history and it was created by its creator to deal with the backlog of human souls dying at an alarming rate, expanding exponentially recently, especially in the last two thousand years with all the bloody wars humans fought and killed each other over. In the last one hundred years alone, the population in the Human World had increased dramatically. It was almost like Humans had no restraint and engaged in procreation as if they were rabbits.

"So, he can't be judged normally, nor do we want to take him off your hands," the handsome blonde Representative told him. He had a sweet sounding voice. "There is always an exception to every rule. However, this is a special case. Although, the Shinigami don't take issue in how a Death Note is used. It's up to the user who takes possession of it once it touches the Human World to see that it's used responsibility. But Light Yagami is evil and the Shinigami King has banned him from our realm. His influence would most than likely turn our realm upside down and start a revolt. The Shinigami King has already dealt with one such group before and they were all but eradicated. The Brigade of Life no longer poise a threat."

Duo nodded. He had heard of this group and there was only one of its species left—Morph was his name—and Light Yagami had encountered him once. Administration watched Morph. But rules prevented anything to be done about him.

"How do you think we should we precede?" Duo inquired. "Any thoughts?"

The Representative offered a suggestion and Duo took it under advisement. In fact, as long as Light Yagami was kept in the dark about his old life, it was quite a good approach in dealing with an unexampled situation.

"Quite an unusual case, indeed," Duo mused. "However, if he to remain in Quindecim, he'll need to prove his worth. We'll challenge him. And if he passes all the tests, then Light Yagami will be trained as an Arbiter and will become a permanent resident."

_To be continued..._


	2. Revelation And Reasoning

Light Yagami decided to have two drinks since the first one didn't settle his nerves. In truth, neither had the second one. And he didn't feel drunk in the slightest. He could taste the alcohol, but it had no effect on him. Considering he wasn't a drinker, he thought that is unusual. He verified the "proof" of the alcohol given and its value would affect even the heaviest drinker.

Decim gave him a separate glass for each drink and Light had two Banana Daiquiri's. They were delicious. It hadn't been the first time he had drink. When he passed the first written exam to the police foundations course, Light went out for a drink to celebrate with some of his classmates. He remembered he got a little drunk even from one drink. But now after two, not even.

For a bartender, Decim wasn't much of a conversationalist and Light was left to his own thoughts. Only after when he finished his second drink did Decim ask him if he wanted a third. Light declined. He knew some people drowned themselves in alcohol when they were depressed in the hopes that it would make them feel better and to forget their problems. But he also reasoned that, if left unchecked, alcohol could ruin a person's life. It also dulled the senses. And for a detective, that was a negative.

"Do you still not remember anything of your arrival here?" Decim asked Light Yagami.

Light Yagami looked at the white-haired bartender. His eyes were cold and his skin was fair. His body was slender. It may have just been his training taking over, but he began to analyze the man. Thinking logically helped him calm down. He could handle himself if things got tough, but he preferred an orderly world where he could be in control. He didn't know why he felt this way, but when he was studying to get good grades, he organized his time accordingly. Perhaps that's where the inclination came from?

He had still not been told where he was other than a name and he'd been here for over an hour with no sign of a Special Arbiter.

"Nothing," Light replied. He sipped the last of the Banana Daiquiri and returned the glass. "The drinks were great. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Decim replied, taking the glass and putting it in the sink behind the bar. "I once had a guest that experienced severe long-term amnesia. She became my assistant for a time, now since departed. She had been given a choice, but ultimately felt it unwarranted. I find it odd that two such people with the same affliction would be sent to me, here, to Floor Twelve?"

Light shrugged. He wanted to ask him what this choice was this other guest was given, but suddenly he felt a pang of hurt in his left arm and the thought left him. It felt a little dull ache and he rubbed his upper arm. It didn't hurt, but it did feel sore. Maybe his arm did have some connection to his arrival here? Was it a psychosomatic response? Was be starting to remember something?

The body itself had a memory like the brain, he remembered reading once in a Psychology magazine, and it often recalled things sooner, triggered from an outside source. The nerves fire and the message is then relayed to the brain. Sights, smells, and touch, often help forgotten memories resurface.

Through a sliding door, down a little ways pass the end of the bar, that was ever popular in Japan, situated next to a sitting lounge with leather couches and a picture of a flower, someone who looked like who had just stepped out from an argument with a woman came forward. He had angry eyes, redish/brown hair and tanned skin. He was dressed much like Decim, like a bartender—the white and black—with his proper attire, but he had a more muscular build. With him, was a cat with a bandage wrapped around its left leg, that walked with him like pet and master. Light wondered if he was another Arbiter.

This more brazen Arbiter walked up to the bar where he was, and his cat leapt up, walking along the surface. Then the animal sat down and began licking its paws and wagging its tail. The new Arbiter leaned in and eyed Light close, inches away.

Light blinked, taken aback, and actually leaned back. "May I help you?"

"You look different in the photo I was given, dressed different, too," he said, looking Light up and down. "Slightly older, maybe a look alike? A damn good one! Or maybe it was just a trick on me by the higher ups for _her_ to make a decision, to get rid of her, because she kept hanging around—who knows? All humans need to depart or they start to deteriorate."

Light had no idea what this man was talking about. But then he reasserted himself and gave the new Arbiter a narrowed gaze. "It's customary to give one's name before addressing someone else, especially rudely."

"He is correct, Ginti," Decim said, as he began to dry some more glassware with a towel, after washing them.

With the new Arbiter's name announced, Light said, "My name is…"

"Oh, we all know who _you_ are," Ginti said with a sly smirk. "You're the special case everyone is talking about. Everyone knows what you did. It caused we Arbiters massive amounts of overtime for a brief period. Listen, we don't need someone like you giving us more work. We have enough to do already. There are more humans living now than ever before and thousands die daily. They all need to judged and there are not enough Arbiters at the moment to deal with the backlog. It's no wonder you had to wait."

Decim put up a hand. "Ginti, he doesn't remember anything yet. What you just revealed breaks the code of conduct."

Ginti slammed a hand on the bar. Light was startled. "I don't care! I don't normally care what humans do. But you" —he pointed at Light— "I take except to! You're a mass murdering, psychopath, with a God complex!"

Light Yagami's eyes went wide with complete shock. "Me?" Then he became angry. "Oh, I see. What the hell is your problem? L's dead, so you're taking over now? You think I'm Kira, too? I never killed anyone! I am not Kira! Where's the exit? I'm leaving!"

Decim dried another crystal glass, then proceeded to fold the towel properly. "I'm afraid, you can't, sir," he said, after Light burst up from his barstool. "Once a person has departed the land of the living, they can never return."

Light looked at each of the Arbiters in turn and then laughed. "You must be joking!" He folded his arms across his chest. "There's always a way out of every trap. And this is a trap someone's placed me in because they believe I'm Kira. To try to make me say something against my will. Well, I won't say a lie. I am not Kira! So, you can stop this trickery right now!"

"Is this dolt truly this delusional?" Ginti voiced, eying Decim, straightening up.

"He's obviously blinded to the reality of the situation, no matter how fantastic it may appear," Decim replied. "I'm sorry, sir," he then addressed Light, "but you're dead. The circumstances, however, cannot be rendered to you, as I don't have the authority to do so."

"You were shot multiple times," Ginti instead revealed. "No mercy, no remorse—by a fellow police officer—and frankly, you deserved it. We Arbiters are supposed to be unbiased in our judgements and opinions, but god man, you are one major sicko!"

Light blinked several times, shocked. He suddenly felt his arm. The numbing began to arch even more. "I don't believe it! Why?"

Decim finally put an end to it and put the towel down to create a thud sound, grabbing attention. "Enough, please," he said. "Ginti, the human brain cannot comprehend one's current reality if the mind has forgotten the important issues. While what you said was true, but the Special Arbiter will make the final decision in this case. We are not authorized to say anymore."

Ginti growled under his breath. "I bet I'm going to get an ear full from Oculus," he said. "Sorry, my emotions got the better of me."

Light slammed a fist on the bar. Ginti's cat jumped. "No! Damn it! You can't leave it there! I want to know more!"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Yagami," Decim addressed him formally. "You have been given more information that we should have allotted."

Light opened his mouth to protest, when the sound of an elevator dinged. Around the corner of the same hallway he had ventured down, came the estranged elevator operator Decim had referred to as Clavis. He came with another man, the same height, and approximately the same age, youthful looking by appearance with dark hair, wearing a dark blue suit. In his hand, he held what looked like a smart tablet.

When the pair arrived at the bar, the unnamed name looked at the tablet and then at Light, as if to compare pictures. "Visual identification confirmed," the affirmed man said. He then went about reciting Light's statistics—height, weight, eye colour, hair colour, even blood type, as if anyone truly cared about that until it was for medical purposes.

"Who the hell are you?" Light demanded, suddenly angry.

"You're angry, that's to be expected. A guest normally decries a wide range of emotions once they begin to understand the truth of their situation. My name is Duo. You can call me that. It's an acronym, because I do double duty here in Quindecim."

"Truth? What truth? What the hell is going on here?" Light began to shout. "These two" —he pointed at Decim and Ginti— "gave me pieces as to why I'm here, but then they stopped short of telling me the rest. I'm a detective, I can put things together, but I shouldn't have to if people have the information I need already. Are you going to tell me the rest I need to know?"

"What is the last thing you remember, Mr. Yagami?" Duo asked. "This is important for things to proceed."

"Running," Light said shortly, "also being afraid when doing so. Then nothing, darkness, and I suddenly found myself here."

"Nothing?" Duo looked at Decim and Ginti. "He's very upset. What have you two told him?"

"I was told I was shot multiple times by a fellow police officer," Light said instead. "Who, I don't know…"

Just then, a blonde haired man, again, youthful in appearance, entered the fray from the hallway. The elevator had not dinged, so he may have been there all the while and listening, hidden from sight. Now, he made an appearance.

"Mr. Yagami, you are experiencing a double form of amnesia," the blonde haired man said. Duo looked to appear to stop him from revealing any information, but the man waved him off. He said he had been authorized by Oculus, the head of the facility. "One from after the shock of death and the other by way of having your memories erased and forgetting everything about the Death Note."

"The Death Note? What is that?" Suddenly Light grabbed his head when he felt a sharp pain in his brain as if something was trying to come to the surface quickly and he took an involuntarily step back crashing into some barstools. Ginti's cat scampered away and hopped onto a couch from the action. " _Ow...my head!_ Wait! Why does that sound familiar to me?" He looked at the man.

"Allow me to explain the facts. Since you are a special case, warranting a unique nature, I have also been allowed to act as Special Arbiter, aside Duo. Both ends of the spectrum must be laid out to collect all the facts. We may come to an impasse, or we may come to a path where a judgement can be made. But first, everything must be said." He spent the next fifteen minutes reciting Light's entire life, up to the point where he was shot by a fellow police officer, another detective, at a warehouse wharf.

Light shook his head in utter shock. His eyes went wide as he collapsed to his knees. "No! That's ridiculous! I couldn't do anything like what you told me." He didn't believe any of it. "I am not Kira, I am not Kira, I am not…"

"Human's call it psychopathic behaviour, and statistically 1% of the human population suffer from this affliction. Morality is secondary to a desired goal and a neurological disruption causes a lack of empathy towards others' feelings. Judging by your reaction, and the removal of the Death Note's influence, forcing you to forget about it entirely and all the actions that resulted from its use, you are obviously not subjected to this behaviour right now. You are in denial, but you are not apathetic."

"This means," Duo chimed in. "We are in a situation where our methods of judgement cannot conform to you. And this is why you are a unique case. Without the influence of the Death Note, your memories cannot surface even if recited to you, you must recall them naturally—telling you is like reading words without understanding them. You life's record is only half complete, according to how you remember it, and an Arbiter can't render a verdict with only partial information."

"Yes, things are incomplete," Decim said, his eyes seemed to focus inward as if he was attempting to access information. Light wondered if he was some sort of inhuman entity. "Huge gaps are missing. I don't like that."

"So, here'e what is going to occur…" Duo explained everything he had in mind and what was discussed with his colleague, but even after it was all said, Light still couldn't believe the situation. "So, if you pass the tests, you may stay here."

"What if I recall my forgotten memories?" Light asked.

"Unfortunately, it wouldn't matter. The rules of the Death Note are firm. You can neither go to Heaven or Hell, or be reincarnated or enter The Void. You are, quite literally, stuck between life and death. And special provisions will be made in your case. You will be able to keep your body as you see it and it will not deteriorate. You will become an Arbiter and weigh judgement upon others."

"How long will the tests take? How do I know I will be good enough?"

"That's how well your teacher does?" Duo looked to Decim and smiled. "Decim is an excellent educator and he has been certified to teach others. We are in need of more Arbiters, so despite the situation, you being here, will benefit us greatly."

Light turned to the blond haired man, who finally introduced himself. Light asked, "Am I _truly_ dead?"

"Yes, Mr. Yagami, I'm afraid so. And like the author Charles Dickens once referred to Stooge's partner Jacob Marley in his parable _A Christmas Carol_ : You are as dead a door knob," Ryu said back.

_To be continued..._


	3. A Return To Form

Bereavement is a common term for someone who is in shock or denial of a tragic event. In his current circumstance, this was Light Yagami's mental state. He couldn't believe what he had been told.

Ryu lead Light to a separate room with furniture and the like, so he could speak to him in private. He thought it was his providence to act like a grief councillor and to further explain things. He said he would be with Light to help him deal with what he was feeling. In no uncertain terms, Light was told that without the Death Note, no matter how hard he tried, he would never remember the true episode of his death, and that his memories would be forever fractured.

Light wanted and yet didn't want to know further about the Death Note, as he sat on a leather couch. He was told it was a supernatural book that its owner wrote down names in to kill people. They died by default of a heart attack and if nothing else was written to facilitate and extend death, a person would die within forty-seconds.

He was never one to cry, but streams fell down Light's cheeks as he began to come to grips with his situation. He cupped his face and cried, sobbing uncontrollably.

There was a small, half-moon bar in the room with three stools, and a normal looking wooden chair with a high back up against the wall next to it. Everything here was mainly for deceptive purposes. Ryu leaned up against the bar causally, his arms crossed.

"This is an honest reaction to knowing that you are deceased and are beginning to come to terms with it, Light," he said. "In the Human World, no one knows what to expect after they die. I bet this is a real shock?"

Light nodded, with his face still cupped. He had achieved knowledge that so many people wondered and sought, researching in depth. But now that he knew, he wished he could forget. He now knew the eternal truth and he hated it. There was no Heaven or Hell, only _this_ place. Was this a form of purgatory?

Ryu then stood silent to give Light the time he needed to grieve. Due to the circumstances, someone had to be with him. Normally, this would be called suicide watch.

Ryu then retrieved the chair against the wall and turned it around backwards. He sat down and folded his arms across the tall back. Just then, he gave a low throat chuckle. "Cheer up, Light," the Special Arbiter said with some amusement. "I have good news. Not everything is as bad as it seems."

Light looked up from his hands, his eyes red. He didn't appreciate the ridicule. "I'm dead, that's bad enough."

"Are you? I mean, do you truly believe you are dead? Oh, c'mon, Light? Don't you remember what was said to you when we first met? I told you it would fall to me to write your name in my Death Note. That was the contract between you and I when it was _your_ time to die. You're dead. That's why you're here."

Ryu produced the biggest grin any human could produce, and then suddenly, it began to contort and expand, into a half moon smirk, enlarging abnormally, stretching ear-to-ear.

Light's eyes widened. He jumped to his feet and backed away. "What the hell are you?"

Ryu stood, pushed the chair aside, and put his hand to his face. He grabbed his skin, his hand locked in like a claw. He dug his nails deep and pulled, stretching his face as if it were putty.

Then, like a magician's cape, he whipped it off in dramatic fashion, his true appearance now revealed.

His body expanded and began to grow to his full height of up to fifteen feet tall. Instead of being human, he was now a lanky, grotesque, clownish creature, with a feathery shoulder covering, chaotic hair that looked like it had been subjected to electric shock, with large yellowish eyes, and a huge toothy grin.

He wore all black, like leather, and his head was stapled at the neck and shoulder line, like it had been amputated from a dead body and put into a reedy, but somewhat toned torso. He also wore a silver skull-clip belt and a left hip pouch.

Light fell to the floor and shouted in shock, inching, backing away further on his elbows.

Ryu laughed. "History repeats itself," he said gruffly with a chuckle. "That's exactly what you did when we first met. You fell out of your chair and to the floor, only without the chair this time. I am _Ryuk_ , with a k—the Shinigami." He then pulled out an oversized, large black book from his pouch that had a skull and crossbones on the cover, and extended it to Light. "Here, touch it. This is not the original Death Note I gave you, this is my personal Death Note, but as long as you hold even the smallest scrap of the paper inside, your memories, when they come back to you, will remain."

Light was hesitate in doing so, but when Ryuk thrust the book into his arms, he had little choice.

The moment that Light touched it, he let out a silent scream, jerking his head backwards, as if a thousand different needles were penetrating his brain simultaneously, as every single memory, every experience he ever had with the Death Note, came flooding back in kaleidoscope-like fashion, shocking and painful at first, bombarding his thoughts, and filling in the missing gaps of his memory that the person known as Duo said were lacking—like pieces of a large jigsaw puzzle.

When the shock lapsed, Light collapsed to his knees, grasping the Death Note in his arms tightly, and breathing heavy. Then he began to laugh with hysteria, boisterously. After a seemingly insane display, he gazed up at Ryuk with a gleaming, sinister smile, and his eyes gave off a dark glower. Unlike the emptiness and confusion he felt before, of falseness, he had everything back now, and he felt whole again. Knowledge was power and Light felt like a god.

"Ryuk…"

"Welcome back, Light."

With the Death Note in his arms, Light embraced it like a long-list relative. He felt he had to hold it tight or he'd lose his memories again. And he didn't want to forget anything now.

It was indeed not the same Death Note Ryuk had originally dropped to the Human World that Light picked up in the yard of his high school—that of a simple looking school notebook.

Ryuk's Death Note was larger and bound with an antiquated hard animal skin binding like that used in the realm of a long forgotten time. It was soft to the touch and Light welcomed its power.

Kira was back!

Light got up and sat back on a couch he had jumped up from, he crossed a leg over a knee, to be comfortable. He looked inward as he held the Death Note one would like a baby, but not so gently.

"I can't believe that bastard Matsuda shot me, and several times, in fact, after Kira's true identity was revealed," he said in disgust. "And I can't believe Mikami was so stupid to allow Near to steal and duplicate the Death Note. If it wasn't for him, I would still be alive, and the entire Kira Task Force would be dead, including that idiot Misa."

"You never liked that girl, did you?"

He gave Ryuk a hard stare. "No, she is/was the poster-child of stupidity. I only allowed her to tag alone because she knew I was Kira, and admittedly, I was concerned, one day, she would smarten up, and kill me. So, I gave into her whims and allowed her infatuation to flourish. But one day, she would die. I knew Rem would have to die first."

"You are the only human I know to kill a Shinigami. Quite impressive!"

Light nodded. Then he thought of someone, and her face burst into his mind. "My only regret was Takada had to die to rid myself of Mello. She was more on my level. She was smart and beautiful, and would've been the perfect complement to Kira, and I was very attracted to her. Her death was unfortunate…"

"I bet you wish you had done it with her, eh? Mr. Heart Throb," Ryuk said, releasing a low a throat chuckle.

Light glanced around, ignoring the remark.

"So, _this_ place… _This_ is where people are sent to when they die? Atheists are correct then. Heaven and Hell are nothing but fabricated constructs, drummed up with religious undertones to explain other-worldly happenstances."

"Not quite," Ryuk began. "We are just in a place between worlds. The Human imagination is capable of concocting anything that suits its beliefs, and when death comes, the human brain can _give_ the person exactly what they wish, and they can die happy with a smile on their face. Heaven and Hell are based on concepts developed over centuries of story-telling. This place was designed to deal with the overcrowding of dead people, because so many humans die each day. Someone has to judge them, and to make sure they go to the proper place: either _Reincarnation_ (Heaven: Your life as your know it is over, your memories erased…) or _The Void_ (Hell: where a soul, that has committed unspeakable acts, is subjected to repeated negative emotions for all of eternality).

"And, in Quindecim, is where Raye Penber resides," Ryuk revealed. "Better try to avoid him here. He cannot go to either Heaven or Hell either. You tricked him into using the Death Note. So, technically, he is the same as you. Only _you_ are the more unique case. Everyone hates you here for the trouble you caused, not just because of all the extra work, but because the space time continuum was altered. Or, maybe that was my fault when I dropped the Death Note into the Human World? I'm not quite sure?"

Ryuk then said: "From what I could learn from this place, it's what humans call _Draconian_. You do what you're told, no questions. There is no grey area. There is an administration, and several other departments. Much like your NPA."

A deep, seething hatred quickly enveloped Light. "I can no longer judge people the way I wish as I did in the Human World," he said. "If I am to become an Arbiter here, then my judgements will be limited. _The Human World_ needs Kira, but I'm stuck here. When you said you killed me by writing my name in the Death Note, I noticed a but in your voice."

"Yes, and that is precisely why I'm here, and engaged this clever, elaborate charade as a Special Arbiter. I'm doing so with help from others, who support an independent Shinigami Realm, save from the boredom and stagnation of the Shinigami King's rule," Ryuk explained. "The Shinigami higher-ups wanted me to return, and explain why I did what I did, causing a lot of trouble in the Human World. But I chose to do come here instead to be with you, because I knew I would be punished with my Death Note taken away. I would most likely be imprisoned for a long time, too. I still want to be entertained and you gave me a thrill of a lifetime as Kira. I wrote your name in my Death Note, but something went wrong. You did experience a heart attack, but it was not my doing, My theory is, it resulted from the shock of being shot. You died sooner than I would have thought. You died seconds before I could finish writing your name down and I was robbed of obtaining your remaining lifespan. That was not part of our deal."

"I don't understand? Are you saying there's a loophole wherein I can live again?"

"Yes, technically, if a contract between a Shinigami and a Human is not fulfilled to satisfaction, there are grounds for a Retry. Normally, I would need permission from someone for this, but I wasn't willing to ask. Sometimes it is better to just do something and ask for forgiveness later, then ask for permission and be denied. However, there is a snag. While the loophole applies to you, due to the nature of your death, you can no longer return to your original body. Your death was labelled a homicide, but that aside, you died from a heart attack after being shot, the shock was overwhelming. The official police records say you died while you attempted to apprehend members of the Yukaza during a sting operation and got hit in some crossfire. I went to your funeral, disguised as a lonesome mourner." Ryuk chuckled. "In accordance to your will, you were cremated. You put yourself down as an organ donor, but it was said your organs were damaged by gunfire. It was Matsuda who insisted you burn whole."

Light frowned.

Ryuk chuckled. "Oh, you should've seen his face. He really hates you. And in secret, he prays you burn in hell. However, in the time Kira has disappeared, crime has begun to run rampant throughout the world again. As I said, a Shinigami doesn't care how a human uses the Death Note, only that he uses it. Someone I knew went down for a short stint to the Human World, but the idiot who he gave his Death Note to committed suicide with it because he couldn't handle the pressure when Near came after him, unlike you."

Light smirked and chuckled. Then his thoughts turned back to what Ryuk said before.

"Matsuda truly believed in my innocence, more so than my father," he said. "How ironic that it was him that killed me. The naive fool didn't realize Kira was helping the world. Some law enforcement can only see black and white. If I do manage to return, he'll be the first one I kill, along with Near and the SPK. So, let me get this straight, I can live again, but I can't be restored to my own body?"

"Yup, that pretty much sums it up. There may be a way to do it here, perhaps even travel back in time, but I have to do more research. I'm not as dumb as I look, Light. I was pretty smart way back in my hey-day, so don't think I don't know what I'm doing."

"Looks and intelligence don't always go hand-in-hand, except for me, of course," he said boastfully. He cleared his throat when Ryuk didn't take lightly to his dry humour. "Sorry, do what you can, Ryuk. I trust you to make the right decisions in my absence, and if you do really well, I'll buy you a whole bushel of apples."

Ryuk got excited.

"Can I be reincarnated into someone else's body? In other words, possess and _takeover_ the host? That would be the ideal situation, as then I can walk amongst the masses without Near knowing who I am, judging the wicked—once I get another Death Note. If I recall, I did bury some additional papers under another tree when I buried my Death Note before I turned myself into L, attempting to convince him I may suffer from split personality disorder." He smirked. "Maybe they're still there? I don't recall ever retrieving them."

Ryuk shook his head. "You can't possess a body already inhabited by a soul. Despite what some religious people believe, two souls cannot inhabit the same body, or a human would go insane."

"That's the set definition of split personality disorder," Light said, "but with both personalities aware of the other. Yes, I can see how a person would go insane with that happening… And whose to say, the second personality wasn't psychotic? It would drive the other out of his mind. Perhaps that's what happened to that user you mentioned?"

"Or you…" Ryuk said.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," the Shinigami said. Ryuk momentarily mused. "There are cases where a Shinigami have attempted to possess a human without a Death Note contract. But mostly, they're referred to as Demon Possession, and only a highly trained Exorcist can separate the two. Here, in Quindecim, those souls that remain in this realm, are transferred to Shell Bodies or Dummies, because eventually a soul will dissipate without coherence or a host it to keep it shut-in. But trust me, you won't have to worry about that. You're a unique case, because of your 'evil nature' and amnesia from the Death Note. Raye Penber was dealt with, his memories intact, and was assigned to a department far from here. I could get that information, if you want? The likelihood of you two meeting up is moot. Despite its looks, Quindecim is a pretty large place. My advise: play along and go through the testing. I know you'll pass the trails. Think of them like multiple choice questions. In the meantime, I'll figure something out that'll be mutual beneficial to the both of us."

"What do you have in mind?"

"I have friends who can literally work miracles, but for a price." Ryuk chuckled. "I'll have to work behind the scenes, so no one knows what I'm doing, or both of us can get in big trouble. There are worse places than this realm, Light, much, much worse. So, be careful what you do and what you say. Stay in character with amnesia. But that shouldn't be difficult for you. You're a natural born actor, a habitual lair, and genuine sociopath. It should be easy for you."

Ryuk chuckled, and Light scorned him.

Ryuk allowed Light to continue touching his Death Note as he opened it, then he ripped off a small corner piece. He held the edge with the tips of two fingers to Light's face. Light looked at it with minute confusion.

"Swallow it," Ryuk said, "and your memories will remain with you."

Light took it from Ryuk's grasp, but then gulped it down without a second thought. He coughed, and cleared his throat, then put faith in what he had just done and handed over Ryuk's Death Note. He looked at his hands, they were empty, but he could still had his memories. It had worked.

Ryuk slipped his Death Note back into his pouch.

Then, in the blink of an eye, he reverted back to his human form—Poof! As if everything had been one big illusion, or in human terms: a psychotropic episode. His Death Note was no longer visible.

Light looked upon the blond-haired human form of the Shinigami, youthful in appearance, and was intrigued. Ryu had been just an attending member of Quindecim when he first saw him, now he gave off a more important presence. "You're quite handsome, Ryuk—I mean, Ryu. You chose a good disguise. I bet women love you?"

Ryu smiled. "I'll let you in on a little secret. This is what I used to look like before I became a Shinigami and that grotesque being. All Shinigami are converted by the Shinigami King, none of us can use our true form. When we appear to a human, we must look menacing for them to obey the rules. That is part and parcel of our existence."

Light mused. "So, for the sake of argument, if I were to become a Shinigami, what would my body be converted to? Do you think? Something as grotesque and hideous as yours?"

"Care to rephrase that? You were narcissistic and nasty to me when we had a contract, Light. I don't have to stick around. I could drop my Death Note and allow something else to pick it up? And we can part ways forever."

Light laughed. "Forgive me," he said. "But you do have to admit, it's quite a startling change. If you think of it logically, however, most other species would probably say the same thing about humans—that we look ugly to them."

"You seem happy, Light. Why?"

"Because I have another chance. I'll train to be an Arbiter here and then cast my judgements upon the dead. My word will be god here. This is the last stop for all souls. It's nothing like the Death Note, and I would prefer to cleanse the Human World of evil, so only good, hard working people, can survive. But until Kira returns, this will have to suffice."

"Just don't let Duo find out that you have your memories back, or he may find a way to cast you into The Void. But even if he can't, he may just place you in solitary confinement forever. Call me selfish, but I enjoyed our time together, and I want to be entertained again. I'll pop back in from time-to-time. I'm Special Arbiter Ryu to you."

"I understand," Light said. "If you can achieve a miracle and allow me to cheat death, and emerge from this repose destitution, I'll give you all the entertainment you wish, and much more." Ryuk looked excited. "In the meantime, I'll play along here. And perhaps, it will alleviate some of my _own_ boredom…"

_To be continued..._


	4. Challenge Accepted

Admission authorized Light status as a trainee to be an Arbiter due to his unique situation and he was assigned to train with Decim, who, himself, had just recently learned to judge people not by their memories, but by their reasons for why they did certain things.

"Guilt is not determined by action," he explained, albeit robotically, as they both stood behind the bar. Light was now dressed like Decim, in a black and white bartender's uniform. "There's always a reason for what a human does, even if they don't understand it."

Light knew this all too well. There was plenty in his past that had caused him to commit the actions with the Death Note. Often a person's psyche developed from childhood that determined their mindset to adulthood even if they didn't fully comprehend why. He had read the same premise in a philosophy paper written by a well known expert on the subject when he was studying in school.

He remembered a case when he was working with L. It was a case that began when he was ten years old and it involved a child murderer and his son. Light was instrumental in helping put the murderer away in prison. Years later, he was killed by Kira, hanging himself in his cell by suicide. His son then attempted to enact his revenge on Light. But in the end, Kira won.*

"So, as you explained, guests play games to determine end results and the victor gets to choose Reincarnation or the Void?"

"Not exactly," Decim said. "The Judgment Elevators are the final destination transport. We are just here to bring out a person's true nature to determine a correct assessment, so there are no mistakes in rendering a verdict. There has never been a time when the elevators reversed an Arbiter's judgement. Each elevator is interchangeable, however: one angelic, the other demonic, per se."

Decim then showed Light the very elevators he spoke of, on the other side of the room, and Light took a close look at them, edging a step inside each, but not allowing either door to close behind him. Although the elevator with the Demon Head shook slightly as if it was reacting to something, Light thought it was his weight standing inside. Decim shrugged it off when Light backed away.

They reminded Light of a fancy Italian hotel elevator, but without the wire cages. They looked innocent and common enough, but there was a sinisterness to them that made Light feel a little nervous.

Decim's eyes glazed over, and Light noticed the Arbiter's sudden erect stance.

Light was told whenever he was downloading information from the Data System, Decim would stand still for it, his unusual eyes flashing—a cross replacing pupils would shift.

Decim reminded Light of a human-android doll that Japan was attempting to create. Before he died, the most recent "doll" that had been created was that bordering on self-awareness with a superior artificial intelligence.

"We are about to receive some guests," Decim announced. "I have been feed their profiles." Light was asked to observe, and if need be, recommend a judgement, after everything was said and done. "Let us get ready."

Within moments, a pair of guests came around the corner of the same hallway Light did with its flowing water fall and picturesque walls, designed to act like a serene atmosphere just before entering into the main area, and bar. There were many floors in Quindecim, but Floor Twelve seemed to be the most popular. Decim said he got the bulk of the guests.

Both were escorted by Clavis, the main elevator operator.

The moment the male came into sight, Light gasped, recognizing him immediately. He was the youngest Chess Grandmaster in Japan. Light once watched him in a television match and he blew his competitor away in quick succession, and in four moves. He was like a young Bobby Fischer, and Light felt a pang of sadness that he was now dead. How? Light knew he would find out.

The other guest, a young woman, he didn't know. But she was strikingly beautiful with long brown, flowing hair, with a slim build.

For appearance's sake, Light didn't speak. Decim was in charge. And he was only there to observe and learn.

Clavis had his say, greeting Light, in a non-chalet manner, saying, "Hey, hope you're having fun here?"

And Light said, "Sure. I'm eager to get going on things."

"Well, good luck. Maybe we can have a chat later? Get to know each other better?"

"Sure," Light replied again.

Clavis then left.

The guests approached the bar.

"Greetings, I am your host, Decim, and welcome to Quindecim." The words were spoken robotically, as if from a script. Decim had returned to behind the bar. Light stood just adjacent like an additional greeter. "I am your bartender, and this is my assistant…"

"You can call me L," Light said, with a thin smirk.

Decim gave him a sideways glance, but he let the name stand. He returned his attention to the guests. "Before we begin, I must ask you one question: Do either of you remember anything before your arrival here?"

Both said no, and Decim nodded.

Decim was beginning to sound much like a telemarketer and responding to appropriate scripted answers. Light wondered, if Decim was given an answer he didn't expect, how would he respond?

Decim reached underneath the bar and pulled out a large red button. Behind him, the mirror then separated into nine equal squares. It was a different form a normal Roulette Wheel. Normally they were round, but this one was square, and only had nine slots.

"Allow me to explain a few things first," Decim began. "While you are guests here, you are not permitted to leave unless you play a game. Losing or winning will determine the next course of action. You must not waver to win, or refuse, or relent to your opponent, or you will automatically forfeit, and punishment will be immediately rendered. The intensity will vary on the loss. How you play will be up to you. A game will be chosen at random. Please press the button and we shall begin."

After a few intermittently questions by each guest, and introductions, the button was then pushed by the woman, and the square Roulette Wheel began to blink in random succession, eventually settling on Square #9. The square turned over and revealed the game would be Chess.

The young boy, Sorta Yamamoto, pumped his fist in triumph. Chess being chosen was like the gods of Luck had smiled upon him. "Yes! This is my day. I'm Japan's youngest Grandmaster. I'll wipe the floor with you!"

"But I've never played chess before," the woman, Amari Watanabe, said in an extremely worried tone. "That's not fair!"

Light also remembered the boy was bit of a jerk, arrogant, and somewhat self-absorbing. He was only a child, but both his parents were dead. He did have a guardian, however, for eleven, yet he was brazen and bold, in addition to being extremely smart.

The woman, Light didn't have any information on yet. But this is when his detective skills would come in handy.

During his police training, he was given a picture, and asked to write a profile based on what he saw. Most of the time he was spot on. So, he looked the woman up and down, and determined she had a family, was married, and was a homemaker. She had a kind and gentle quality to her, and it was a stark contrast to the kid, who had narrow, and angry eyes.

Just then, on the other side of the room, the area was seemingly subjected to a holographic projection, and a massive vortex erupted, with smoke, which startled Light, and the others, minus Decim.

When it was settled, a large chess board emerged on the floor, with pieces already placed.

Instead of the normal pieces, mannequins doubled as the King's and Queen's, dressed as such. For the rest of the pieces, each were also represented by 'dolls', namely: Rook, Knight, Bishop, and pawn, and respectfully dressed. Obviously these 'pieces' were not meant to be moved by hand because they were too large, but directed by voice, which would make it even more difficult for someone like Amari Watanabe, who had no clue what to call the squares to call out a move. That didn't seem fair.

Light leaned over the bar to Decim, and said softly: "Don't you think she is at a huge disadvantage going into the game?"

"It's not my call," Decim replied. "The Roulette Wheel is a game of chance and I have no say on the matter. However, the odds can be equalized, even if a player has no knowledge of a game. Wait and learn. And it is at the discretion of an Arbiter."

Decim brought out a device with a button on its head, it looked much like a detonator to a wireless explosive. The guests had moved to the chess board and did not see the device.

"Come, let us observe," he said, and Decim ventured to the board, with Light in tow.

When they were all gathered, even stepping to their respected sides. Light had moved to the woman's side, as per Decim's request, while Decim remained neutral on an empty edge.

He began to explain the rules: "White moves first. The object of the game is to put the others' King in _Checkmate_. To win, you move your pieces across the board according to their respected rules, capture them, and then corner your opponent to render a forfeit."

Amari cupped her hands together, worried. "How do you play? I don't know the first thing about it! I'm scared, help me, please!"

She looked to Light, and he looked back at her, genuinely sympathetic. He then looked to Decim, and the Arbiter nodded, as if the question Light had in his mind was psychically transformed to Decim. Or, Decim may have just been intuitive?

"With all due respect," Light said to the other, Sorta, "may I explain how each piece moves?"

The young Grandmaster folded his arms across his chest and smirked. "Sure, go ahead. I have no problem. I'm going to win so easily anyway. There's no one, _anywhere_ , that can beat me! So, sure, take all the time you need." He laughed.

"I have a family with two kids, I have little time for games, and my husband is always at work," Amari said. "It's not easy being a mother. Your mother must be proud of you, but you could be a little less rude."

"My parents are dead, killed in a drunk driver accident when I was five years old," Sorta said. "I've had to do everything on my own. I do have a guardian, but he's pretty useless when it comes to my needs. Luckily, I'm a chess prodigy, or life would be hard for me."

Sorta Yamamoto suddenly gasped, as if a flash of memory struck him, Light observed.

Light knew that guests who came here, as Decim told him, would periodically experience flashes of memory from their lives. Once the pieces came to light, only then, could a judgement be rendered by how they lived their lives. Light wondered what Sorta's life had been like other than what he knew about the kid from his chess career. Everyone had a person life.

Sorta shook his head, as if shaking something away, and came back to focus on the immediate moment.

"Are you all right, young man?" Decim asked.

Sorta nodded. "Yes, I had a flashback, kind of—to a moment when I heard screaming from my mother's room when I was a kid; I saw my guardian there, too. Or, was it my father? I'm not sure now. Things are a little hazy."

"Life isn't easy for me, young man," Amari retorted to Sorta. "My husband is never around and my kids are a handful." She paused, as if she had a recollection of her own memories, Light observed. She took a moment, but then settled down. Decim asked if she was okay. "Yes, I am. I just remembered something from…" And she briefly explained what she had seen in her mind.

Light now had a working picture of the pair of guests. And using his detective skills, he was beginning to understand a little bit about their lives, and how they lived. But their deaths were still a mystery.

Light further explained the game, and even did a mock up, reciting what each chess piece was, how it moved, and if Amari didn't remember the designation of each square of the board, to just point, and the piece may be able to move on its own. Decim confirmed that that would happen, each piece would do so when directed by voice command.

Sorta Yamamoto looked intrigued, at Light, as if he was examining a worthy challenger. Light noticed his gaze.

"But strategy is another thing," Light then said. "Even if your opponent is an expert, there are ways to win. It's not just about removing pieces to dwindle your opponent down. You can have up to two pieces, and your opponent half of theirs remaining, and still win, if you know where to move properly." He tried to explain things as simply as possible. Light knew Amari wouldn't necessarily understand proper terms, so he dumbed it down.

"You seem know the game very well, L," Amari said. "Can you play for me? Is that against the rules?"

Light blinked, taken aback. He looked to Decim. "Madam, you wish for my assistant to play in your place?" Decim inquired with curiosity. "That is highly unusual, but please note, if L loses, or a piece is capture, _you_ will still face any lasting consequences. Please understand this before your decision is made."

Amari Watanabe opened her mouth to speak, but then Light, after he gave Sorta a quick glance, noticing a smug smirk, said, "If she wishes it, and agrees to the terms, then I'll play for her. If it's not against the rules?"

_Besides, it'd be a thrill-of-a-life-time to play against Japan's youngest Grandmaster,_ Light thought.

But then Light noticed a certain disappointment on Decim's face. He knew he had outspoken, but the choice of game had been unfair to Amari from the start. He wanted to give the woman an equal playing field and he knew the rules of chess quite well.

He normally wasn't forthright or volunteered his services. When he was working on the Kira Case with L, and he had his memories, he would often hold back. But here was different. At least until Ryuk returned.

Decim said, "It's not, just highly unusual. But as a courtesy, I will allow it. I wish confer with my assistant before the game begins."

Light ventured over to Decim, and they spoke quietly. They turned their backs to the guests.

Decim put a hand to his mouth to hide his words like a catcher talking to a pitcher. "I am fully aware that you wish to play this boy, Light Yagami, and I know you are very good at chess. I have see that much of your timeline. You enjoyed playing with a friend, named Demetre Draycott. But be warned, you playing for Ms. Watanabe may distort the outcome of the verdict."

"Then I think perhaps another game where both have an equal opportunity to win may be more prudent, like a card game?"

Decim waved his hand. "Unfortunately, no," he said, understandingly. "Once a game has been chosen, it cannot be undone. As you will be playing for Ms. Watanabe, then _you_ will suffer any pain for mistakes made. When this game is over, and judgement is rendered, I will need to explain things to you more thoroughly in how Quindecim works. We Arbiters do not play for guests. And there is a reason why. For this one time, I will allow it. As you are new."

"Are you any good, L?" came Sorta's voice from behind their backs.

Light and Decim turned.

Light looked at the boy, and said, "A little, I've played a few worthy opponents in my day."

"Then challenge accepted," Sorta Yamamoto said. "But be warned, I never go easy on anyone."

Light smirked internally. _Neither do I._

Decim shrugged. "Very well. Then let the game commence, and to the victor, the spoils, as it is said."

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **See The Case of Jasper Yuta


	5. A Plan To Retry

Sorta Yamamoto dropped to his knees in utter shock and held his hands to his head in a sudden sensation of pain.

It only took Light four moves to defeat the little Grandmaster. Each move was precise and perfect and no move was wasted.

Light had thought out every move before he made it, playing the game in his mind, every scenario, before he called out his moves. He took into account Sorta's method of playing, and quickly turned the tables, destroying him without remorse.

Only one pawn was sacrificed, for which, as punishment, Light suffered a slight sensation of an electrical shock to his brain. The boy suffered worse. And suffered greatly after his King was put in Checkmate.

The whole game of Chess was based on out-thinking an opponent, so it would only stand to reason that the brain would suffer the consequences and the pain of defeat.

After Sorta Yamamoto got to his feet, he breathed heavy, and said, "I can't believe it! I can't believe it! It was like you knew exactly where I would move before you counterattacked! How the hell?"

"Did you?" Decim inquired.

Light said, "No, but I have played _a game or two_." He smirked, putting the kid in his place was fun. "Like you mentioned, Decim, I often played with my friend, Demetre Draycott. He could never beat me, but he did give me some of my best challenges. Sorry to say, Sorta, I didn't even break a sweat with _you_." And then he explained why.

Sorta cursed. "A game or two? No way! You are on a _way_ higher level than some of the best that I know. Have you ever played professionally?" The boy seemed more intrigued than sore. "I want to play you again!"

"One: No, I won't play you again," Light said. "And two: I have never played professionally."

"You didn't relent, not once, and you crushed me viciously, showing no mercy. Just like me. I have to the best! No one has ever beaten me like you just did. When my parents died, I thought the universe hated me because it took them away from me, so I had to crush everyone else, and used my gameplay to do that, as if to get back at the universe. You know what now? Looks like I found one last person to crush! If I do so, I can then die happy. Play, me, _NOW!_ "

Light looked at Decim, then back at Sorta. "If only you knew…" he began to say, then stopped. The boy's memories had not fully returned yet. Until they did, judgement could not be rendered. So, there was little choice. "Very well, let us have another game. Maybe it will humble you…"

_What an annoying brat_ , Light thought, and suddenly he had a recollection of myself as Kira and of _his_ demanding ways. L once described Kira as "acting with a child-like sense of justice".

This kid, acting like this, and against the universe, because he demanded justice for the injustice the universe paid to him in taking away his parents was ludicrous. People died, life went on. The silly notion the universe hated people was laughable.

As Kira, he helped the world. And now, he'd help this kid see the folly of his ways that he thought he was better than everyone.

As the main game was won, the subsequent games requested—three more in all—they contained no side-effect pain. However, the boy lost all of them, and in quick succession, and how Light won caused the boy severe mental stress and agony.

And he started to throw a temper tantrum.

"No! I won't accept this! How are _you_ —a nobody—beating me so easily? This is a trick, this game is rigged, and she knows it!" Sorta pointed at Amari. "She's in on it! That's why she asked you to play for her. I think you two are working together, and this entire thing is one big hoax to goad me! You have me on camera, right? You're streaming this on the internet to ruin me!"

Suddenly, Sorta Yamamoto folded over, collapsed to his knees, and clutched his hands to his head, as if suffering from another memory recall. He cried out: "Don't hit me, don't hit me! Please!"

Moment passed, then he settled down. But when he looked up, he was breathing heavy, with tears in his eyes. He put his hands to his mouth as if a massive realization hit him. "My guardian…he's actually my uncle. And my father was a drunk. What if…"

"What if your father caused the accident that killed both him and your mother when you were five?" Amari chimed in. "And now your uncle is taking care of you, doing his best to raise you because his brother is no longer around?"

Sorta looked up. "You think so? I suppose that's why he's not much of a business manager. He acts with the intention of both. He seems to be more concerned with my wellbeing than getting me matches; he's too overly protective. I remember he once he said he was heavy in debt, and he owned a lot of people money. I even saw some people approach him in the crowd after one of my chess matches. The crazy thing was, even with all the money I had saved up with my winnings, he never asked once for any of it. He was always so protective me when it came to my father drinking too much. He said it could one day get me killed one day."

"That's what family does, especially when children lose a loved one, even both parents," she replied to the over-protectiveness. "And your uncle knew it was your money." She paused, introspectively. "Speaking of money, I remember looking at my husband and I's shared bank accounts, and saw some erroneous bills: clothes, a hotel room, even charges to fancy restaurants. When I asked him about them, he said they were for business, and not to worry about them. He even said to mind my own business. But…"

She blinked her eyes, as if she was suddenly recalling something, momentarily freezing, her eyes wide with shock. "That son-of-bitch, I remember now! Him and her! His secretary at work! He was having an affair! I followed him one night and caught the both of them in the backseat of his car, and confronted them!"  
And then Amari began to cry, a sudden realization hitting her.

Decim went over, and said, "You remember now, don't you? How you died?" She nodded.

"When I confronted my husband about his affair, he pushed me, accidentally, into the path of an oncoming car. _Oh, my, god!_ "

Just then, Sorta began to cough. Even hack! And suddenly, he spit up a chess piece. It was the black King. Spittle dripped from his mouth. "What the hell?" His voice was raspy and he felt his throat, it burned. "Ow…"

Light went over to Sorta and knelt down beside him. The boy looked shocked. But Light was sympathetic.

"I'm dead, I'm dead…" the boy kept repeating. "I'm dead, too! Those mafia guys, they wanted their money, but my uncle wouldn't give it to them, and he wouldn't ask me for it. If only he did…" He looked up at Light. "Would I have giving him it to him? Would I? They killed me for the money, didn't they? Because it would then all become my Uncle's, he's the Executor of my will. Then, he could give them the money he owed them. He liked to gamble."

Light looked to Decim to confirm. Decim nodded.

"I'll never see my kids again!" Decim then looked to Amari, Light observed. "Is this the after life?" Decim semi-nodded.

_Neither of them deserved what happened to them_ , Light thought. _Was this how some people thought about Kira's judgements?_

He admitted he had had made some mistakes, but he murdered criminals to make the world a better place. Now with Kira longer judging in the Human World, would these victims get their justice? Would Kira have been able to find the mafia person or persons who killed Sorta Yamamoto? And would Kira have killed Amari Watanabe's husband for an accident?

Kira made his judgements based on the acts of criminality, but before action was taken and names written down in the Death Note, he researched their deeds. He knew Kira would not kill the woman's husband when the truth was learned, and the sole person who murdered the boy by shoving he chess piece down his throat would probably never be found out for Kira to kill him.

So, Light had a little moral crisis of his own. How would he judge these two?

Based on the information he had, despite Sorta's arrogance and self-absorbed attitude, he was innocent. And Amari was also an innocent victim in her death. Neither deserved The Void.

He hated feeling defenceless and he clenched a fist. Kira was needed in the Human World, now more than ever!

"I'm sorry for your loss, you're a good kid," Light said to Sorta. "And please note, you're an excellent chess player, so don't be angry with your losses. I just have more experience."

Sorta wiped tears from his eyes. "Thanks," he said. "What now? What will happen to us?"

But Light was not allowed to make an immediate judgement.

He told Decim what he thought in private, as Amari and Sorta stood away and out of earshot, and Decim conferred, but it would be the Judgement Elevators that would send them on their respected journey's. One elevator had a Devil Head and the other an Angelic symbol, as both entered the elevators. Suddenly, the Devil Head changed, and both became Angelic.

Light smiled. They were both set for Reincarnation.

"Good luck on your journey," Decim then said, and the elevator doors shut, and dinged.

They were, in principle, good people. And Light was glad his thoughts allowed their souls to be carried on. But he would file their situations in his mind, and when he returned to the Human World— _if_ —he would hunt down the boy's killer and write the murder or murder's names down in the Death Note, once he was able to acquire another one.

After it was over, Light sighed. He felt exhausted.

Both he and Decim walked away from the elevators. "Are all your cases similar in nature?" Light asked.

"No, most of them do not go as smoothly," Decim replied. "However, what you did in playing for that woman was unorthodox. We do not play for our guests, we must allow their emotions to flourish in order to determine their true nature. Thought is method, a true verdict cannot be heralded by this way. You were lucky and nothing was spoiled. Oculus does not like when things do not go well."

Light knew who Oculus was, he was the creator of Quindecim, and the last say to everything that went on. The final say. He hadn't seen the man yet, but people described him as eccentric 'old man', and he enjoyed playing pool a lot.

"Over time, you'll get used to how things are done here," Decim then finished.

Decim put the device he had picked up earlier back behind the bar, he never explained what it was. Perhaps at another time, Light would be told. It was best not to press things all at once. He didn't want to look too eager.

Allowed to rest, he was given furnished quarters.

_Quite impressive_ , he thought.

It was like a luxury condo with its own separate bedroom and bathroom. It also had a sitting area. He looked the place over as he went along, looking for any cameras, like L had hidden in his room when the detective had spied on him. But he didn't see any. He would be on his guard in any case. However, he didn't think Quindecim would worry about spying on a newbie. Why would they? Because of his past? He didn't have his old memories, or so they thought.

On a coffee table was a wrapped gift, but there was no label. But Light figured it was probably a welcome gift.

He unwrapped it, and it was a book: " _How To Be A Better Person_ ", by some unknown author. It was an unusual gift. Skimming through it, he learned it was a book on Psychology. If he didn't know any better, he thought someone was giving him a message. But no one here, as if yet, knew that he had regained his memories of being Kira.

Just then, there was a knock on his door. He answered it, and it was Ryu, or rather, Ryuk, in human form.

"Did you give this to me?" Light immediately asked him, inviting him in, shutting, and locking the door.

Ryu looked at the title, and then laughed. "No, but that's a hoot! Probably someone in Quindecim hinting at your past, which you're not supposed to remember. But I have good news! My friend came through. It wasn't difficult to come by, believe it or not." He reached into a pant's pocket and pulled out a device that looked similar to the one Decim had, but never used.

"What is it?"

"This is the _Retry_ I spoke about and it's used only under extreme conditions," Ryu explained. "For example, it can allow a Shinigami to go back into the past to an important moment and restore an existence if a mistake is make by some worldwide catastrophe brought on by the Death Note. And no, nothing to my knowledge has ever happened. But there is a _Written Rule_ and the _Retry_ , just in case. I was told that Oculus was thinking of using something similar on you— _this realm's version_ —to bring your memories back, but then thought against it as it may create an unstable element, and you'd still be stuck in Quindecim."

Light took it, looked at it. It had all the characteristics of a wireless game joystick and quite childish looking, but simple.

Ryu further said, "I was told, all you'd have to do it press the top button when you're back at _your chosen moment_ , and you can live again, starting from that period on. But retaining your memories, I'm not sure about. I originally thought of your idea of putting you in the body of someone else, I didn't think that was possible before because two souls can't inhabit the same body. But then I thought, 'Hey! I'm a Shinigami! Taking a person's lifespan would be easy'. Shinigami take life by writing people's names in their Death Note, after all. I thought of that afterwards. My bad! I must have had a brainfart at the time. But this method is way better."

Light continued to look at the Retry device. "How does it work?"

"Once calibrated, which I'm told this one is by my friend, all you have to do is travel back in time, and press the button. The tricky part will be convincing an Arbiter, like Decim, to do such a thing with a good reason. Arbiters do have the ability to time travel."

Light smiled, but it all seemed a far-fetched. "My resurrection would come at a price, correct? Like trading for the Shinigami Eyes? Half my remaining lifespan? I'm dead, I can't trade you that. If I could, I would make the deal knowing what I know. You offered me a deal, half my remaining life span for The Shinigami Eyes, the ability to see a person's name above their head. I wish now I took it."

"Not this time," Ryu said. "And this rule is similar for Quindecim: You must exchange your life for someone else's. Anyone would do, but it would be at random. A stranger, a friend, even a relative. The exchange would not discriminate. But the chance of you taking a life of someone you know is slim. There are over seven billion people in the Human World currently."

"This would be perfect. I could get my old body back and Kira would reign superior once more." He laughed. He literally had the power of a god in his hand. "I could go back to the beginning and start anew. If my memories don't come with me, I could write down notes to tell my other self what will happen in the future."

"Like playing a few stocks, lottery numbers. Stuff like that?" Ryu snickered. "You're a smart guy, so I know you can trick Decim into getting what you want. I just want to be entertained again. And if I'm attached to you again, I won't be punished in the Shinigami Realm. Rules are rules, and even the Shinigami King has to abide by them, or the whole fabric of the Shinigami will fall."

"If this can happen, then I'll give you all entertainment you want, Ryuk. And far beyond your wildest dreams."

"I'm looking for forward to it," Ryu(k) said.

_To be continued..._


	6. Raye Penber

Oculus, "The Old Man", as some called him—although in the grand scheme of things, he wasn't that old—was the creator of Quindecim, a system of soul arbitration. He was also known to play a good game of _Galaxy Pool_ -a game where the planets of a galaxy _were_ the balls and they were hit across the universe, scattering like shooting stars. For fun. But were then returned back to their original place after the game had concluded, time reverted back to before the game began, and there were no ill-effects across the cosmos.

Clavis was no match for him. Almost immediately from the beginning, Oculus had Clavis dead to rights to lose. But Clavis didn't expect anything less from Oculus's ability for the game.

"You seem on top of your game today, sir," Clavis remarked, holding a cue stick.

"Or, you're simply out of practise, my boy," the Old Man jeered.

"You may be right. We elevator operators do have our ups and downs."

For a moment, there was silence. Clavis's joke was so dry, it wasn't delivered as a joke. More like an occupational result. But then the Old Man laughed. "That was so bad, my boy, so bad," Oculus said, and laughed again.

Clavis produced a smile, but it took next to nothing to make the old man smile or laugh. He was always in a happy mood. If the average person looked at him, they would say that his head look like a turnip, donned with mini circle bifocals that bridged the top of his nose. A wise, looking man. But no one would ever call him a vegetable to his face.

Oculus leaned over the table to take another shot, then sunk two balls in one flick of the cue. "So what do you think about the new Arbiter: _Light Yagami_?"

"The guy who thought he was a God by using a Death Note to murder thousands of people in the Human World? I haven't drummed up an opinion of the other guy yet." And yet the tone of Clavis's voice said otherwise. "All I know is that he can't be reincarnated or enter the Void. But now he's judging people…Decim undertaking his training. I hope he won't be instinctively bias? You know how humans are." He just finished taking two guests to Floor Twelve where Light Yagami was beginning his training.

"We've never seen anything like him since the conception of this place, where souls are judged on merit," Oculus said. "This place helps with the heavenly backlog, nothing more. More than once you've been asked to become an Arbiter or an Information Officer, even an associate with Administration. I think you would be good in either department. I think it would be a wise career choice."

"Nah, I'm nothing but an elevator operator, and I wouldn't want to, forgive me saying, soil my hands with any information regarding that murderous bastard, or of the like, sir."

Oculus looked at him. "Murderous bastard, eh? My boy, it looks like you have formed an opinion about Light Yagami, after all."

"If I may speak openly, sir?" Oculus told him to go ahead. "While the premise of this place is sound, the delivery system is not."

"Explain." Oculus voice took on a serious tone.

"I mean no disrespect, sir, but using a book to kill people…Who would have thought of that the Shinigami were such a vicious race? In antiquity, the forces of light and dark have been at each other's throats since the birth of the universe. Every once in a while, a Death Note finds itself in the Human World and creates untold havoc, IE, ' _the Kira Affair_ ', as Info calls it. Light Yagami should have immediately been locked away. He's dangerous, amnesiac or not."

"You should reconsider your application to the Information Bureau, cataloging the dead is actually a good career choice. And you could learn a lot." Oculus said is with a conviction that it actually make it sound like a directive than a suggestion. "However to get back to your previous inquiry. The Shinigami King has a job to do, although he has been quite lax in his duties as of late, and the Shinigami are a lazy bunch. Ryuk, the rogue Shinigami—from what information that has been passed my way through sources—actually helped others in his realm with information he took back with him, during and after ' _the Kira Affair_ '. He took back with him information that created an emotional stir and sparked an excitement about humans that the Shinigami Realm had been lacking."

Oculus continued, "While it did create a cosmic disruption, it actually made people sit up and take notice. Sometimes boredom inspires invention and creativity. Despite the increase that the Death Note caused in the way of our volume and soul arbitration, things have settled down now since Light Yagami is dead. As you said before, he can neither be resurrected or go to the void, or as the Death Note has it he can either go to Heaven or Hell. Since the death of Light Yagami, one other Shinigami has dropped his Death Note into the Human World in an attempt to recreate the excitement, but it flopped out. The user got scared and decided to write his _own_ name in the Death Note. He's here, too, somewhere. But he's of no consequence."

"Killing one race to save another? Sounds like bad practice to me."

"No, the Shinigami King has put a stop to it. And they'll be no more excessive killing. Shinigami are strictly forbidden to go down to the Human World without approval. They can kill from a far using the Observation Obs on their world, then go down to collect the remaining lifespan, but everything is under strict regulation now. Or, so I have been told by Ryu, their representative, here."

"What if Light Yagami gets his memories back? What do we do about him then? I'd send him to the Void, and be damned. He was given special provisions, and now he is in an Arbiter? In my opinion, that's too good for him, and he should be punished!"

Oculus had a curious look on his face. "I've never seen you like this before, my boy. You sound frightened by him. Nevertheless, I can understand your trepidation, and your concerns are valid. That is why you and I have a special relationship, and I allow you to speak so openly in my company. I value your opinion. It has helped me more than once to make a decision on Quindecim affairs and policy. Even after the Special Council has made a decision, and sometimes I have vetoed it on your advise, it was a warranted to do so. You're a smart, Clavis. And this is why I am reassigning you, albeit temporarily."

Clavis stood shocked. "What, why me?"

"I want Light Yagami to be watched and I want _you_ to be his watcher, or in other words, his handler. I don't trust Ryu."

"That job would be best suited for someone else like Nona or even Ginti, sir."

"No, I think you are the best man for the job, and starting at this point, on you will be reassigned as his Guardian. You'll watch him as he learns to be an Arbiter along side Decim. Yagami is a tricky one, watch he closely."

"How so?"

"Light yagami is a perfected actor. He's already aware of his past and Ryu has not told me. There's little that happens in Quindecim of that I don't know about. Some things do slip by me, but I eventually I learn of them through simple observation of habits."

"Then why don't you just arrest him and put them on trial or judge him, since he knows—"

"And then what? He cannot be resurrected or enter the Void. Jailing him would serve no purpose and it would only assign resources unnecessarily. He is better off where he is at the moment, and we will pretend that we don't know that he has regained his memories. Understood?"

"Yes sir."

"But if things do get out of control, you must use that special talent of yours. You know the one, and it has a 100% successful rate, when it comes to getting the information that is necessary. You have my authorization to use it. And use it to its full extent."

Clavis frowned. "You know I don't like using that, Oculus, it's too invasive, and it creates an instability with the other person that once made _me_ feel very uncomfortable. And you wonder why I remain an elevator operator…"

"Sometimes a little personal sacrifice is needed to get results. Are you say no to my request?"

"You are my Superior. If I must, then I must. But I will need to gather more information before I proceed."

"By all means visit the Information Bureau, or even Administration, and see Castra" —he winked— "but be careful not to mention anything to our newest recruit. I have given the department's special instructions that he must not be made aware that Light Yagami is in Quindecim. If Raye Penber ever found out, all hell will brake loose. He can neither be resurrected or enter the Void either, because he used a Death Note. He was tricked in using it, but rules are rules. He is angry that he cannot get retribution for what was done to him, and this is what I want to avoid. I do not want internal conflict between two employees, or I may have to do something quite unpleasant, and you know what that would entail?"

Clavis nodded. Nothing more needed to be said.

When Clavis got to Administration, he immediately visited Castra, who was sitting up high in one of the data stations. She was head of the department and was responsible for the accumulation of all soul data and memory engrams. Each life was downloaded, filed away, compressed, and properly catalogued for, if need be, later review, and for when the Arbiter's needed it.

There were other stations, all with their personal apertures, and high chairs, attached to boom cranes, that gave them personal space off the main floor. It was a large department. And on the main floor, workers busied away at other informational business, all wearing white coats, surrounded by more computers and bio-technology that kept changing with the times.

Her fingers danced over a computer board, and a wireless, touch screen, that she worked on like a magician, her face hidden behind a skull-mask that also doubled as an interface with a data system.

He watched as information flowed onto a larger screen and then separated into labeled sub-routes for proper detail gathering. It went so quickly that he missed quite a bit of it, but what he did catch, confounded him, as most of the data was in abbreviation and code for security purposes, and he was unfamiliar with the code-system they used at the current time. It always changed.

He knew once data was collected and souls were either reincarnated or sent the void, their body was turned into a doll and then deposited in the repository known as the _Vault of the Dolls_. And that was one of his responsibilities to retrieve the dolls and store them for later use.

On a computer flat-screen on the floor, that seemed to give a real-time view of the Human World, that he could walk on without breaking, he watched an event that was taking place that involved a war in the Middle East. Everywhere around the world something violent was occurring. Wars, pestilence, fires, floods, weather phenomenon, and death of every kind. It all seemed a consistent theme in the Human World. And all Man made. He was so glad to be out of that place.  
When he first came to Quindecim, it was not like it was now. It was not orderly. Only when Oculus took over and re-developed it, did it become so. The soul collection was raw, and it was under the construction. Only in the last 200 years had Quindecim become a place of respectability and adeptness. And he was proud to call it home.

"Hail, green-haired stranger, long time no see," Castra's voice came with a whisk of her boom crane, as lowered to ground level. She removed her skull-mask, and Clavis smiled. The tall, slim, dark skinned, white-hair beauty, was enough to take his breath away. But Death had a way of rendering the need for oxygen inert. They had a special relationship, one based on _if only we could_. He had asked her multiple times for dates, but she declined; policy forbid relations amongst workers unless their grades equalled, which Clavis was low on the totem pole. "You added more facial jewelry, I see. Another nose ring and another upper ear-ring. Nice."

They looked at the other with a longing stare. But then stopped, fearing others may be watching them.

She handed him a computer slug. He asked what it was, other than the obvious.

"Oculus informed me before you came here that you wanted to know everything about our new Arbiter: Light Yagami. I managed to recrystallize what I could about his life and format everything here."

"Kinda small, I thought it would be larger?"

She arched an eyebrow. "I wouldn't say that too loud Clavis, people will talk," she smirked, and winked.

"My nose and ears aren't the only place I have rings," he said, winking. "Too bad you can't see where I placed them."

"You're wicked, Clavis." She cleared her throat, someone was looking at them. "Anyway, you're smart, Clavis. And you of all people should be here. Then we could…What's stopping you from taking the test and joining me here? Why remain an elevator operator?"

"Less pressure, Castra. And I like the solitude. If you knew what my life was like before I came here, you'd appreciate it, too." Then he smiled large. He brought his voice down a whisper. "Nothing stopping us from a quickie? I know all the blind spots in Quindecim."

"Oculus would find out. You know he knows everything in Quindecim. He has some secret ESP ability. Remember when he found out about those other two…do you see them around anymore? Neither do I." She answered for him. "They were reassigned to disposal deep in the bowels of Quindecim. And I'm not talking about the _Vault of the Dolls_."

"I wouldn't worry." Clavis gripped the slug. "I'll look this over and then bring it back, much like a library book. What little information there is, I may still get something useful out of it."

"Light Yagami's memories of his time as Kira have not returned, or according to the updated information."

Clavis knew better, but kept it a secret. Oculus wanted it such. "It's said, if you give up ownership of a Death Note, you lose all knowledge of its deeds done with it, that includes knowledge and the name of the Shinigami who possess it/you…"

Just then, a man emerged from behind a computer console. He was tall and handsome. Clavis recognized him immediately: it was Raye Penber, the man who could never know Light Yagami was in Quindecim.

Raye approached them with data pad in hand. "Castra, I've finished that report for you," he said. He looked Clavis up and down. "Interesting look…Oh, I remember you—the elevator operator. Clitorus, right? You all have weird names here."

Castra put a hand to her mouth to stop a laugh, but was unsuccessful.

"That's Clavis," he corrected Raye.

Castra turned, to chuckle some more, taking the pad with her. Clearing her throat, she then turned back, obviously a quick reader. "This is great work, Raye. I'm glad you're here with us."

"I used to be a law clerk before I enrolled in police foundations, so I know a lot about administrative work. Plus, I had to file a lot of reports as a detective for the FBI. I've finished all my work for the day. So, do you have anything else for me to do? I'm kind of interested to know who this new Arbiter is. I heard talk he's in a situation much like myself. But I was told my situation is unique."

Both Clavis and Castra shared a concerned glance. They knew that Light Yagami and Raye Penber could never met each other. If they ever did, things would explode, and Oculus would not like it.

Just then two other workers walked by the trio speaking to each other a little ways off having a conversation about the new Arbiter, and one of them mentioned his name. Raye Penber eyes widened with shock. He then ran to the pair, and grabbed one by the shoulders, gripping him hard. Clavis was too late to prevent it.  
"Say that again! Say that again! _Did you say Light Yagami?_ "

The worker was a little confused, but he nodded. "Yeah, yeah, that's his name… _why_? What's it to you?"

Raye looked at both Castra and Clavis. "And you kept this from me? You bastards! Where is he? I'm going to make Yagami pay for what he's done! For what's he's done to all of humanity! He made me kill twelve, no thirteen, of my fellow FBI agents! And I still don't know what happened to Naomi. Did Light Yagami kill her?"

"Settle down, Penber," Clavis said, trying to calm him, hands up. "You two are in the same boat here."

Ray bolted for the door. But then Clavis pounced on him, pinning him to the ground. "Oh no, you don't! I was told if you ever found out he was here that you would do something like this. You and I are going to have a little talk. Now settle down and let me explain."

"No!" Raye struggled. "Who the hell are you? You're no simple elevator operator."

"Someone who can be your friend or your greatest enemy, your decision. Pick wisely, or I'll make it for you."

_To be continued..._


	7. The First Death Note

Clavis felt Raye Penber struggle hard against his grip. But he held firm, like a wrestler with his opponent in a lock hold on the mat. His own legs wrapped around Penber's lower limbs like a coiled snake for further security.

He may have not looked it, always wearing a loose fitting elevator operator coat, but Clavis was incredibly strong. He liked to stay in shape, even though it wasn't needed in Quindecim. But the ladies loved a good looking fellow. There was only one time anyone saw him with his shirt off and that was when Castra accidentally walked in on him when he was changing after a visitor to Quindecim was nasty to him, pushing into a water fountain.

She didn't think he heard her when after she apologized, and walked away, she muttered, "Like a Greek God."

Soon, after that, they began to get closer, once the ice was broken, he approaching her, knowing his feelings about her were shared, and they began to get more acquainted, teasing each other with jokes and romantic hints.

"Get off me, you son-of-a…"

"Chill dude. Settle down!"

Clavis pinned Raye to the floor, his entire body used as a weight. Very quickly, an audience gathered. But Castra stopped anyone from calling security forces—for which Quindecim had. Clavis said he had the situation under control, and he put more pressure on Raye's arm, as he forced it behind the ex-detective's back. Even a dead person could feel pain. The idea that a person in death felt no more pain was a myth.

Raye grunted. "Why didn't you tell me Light Yagami was here?"

"Because of this exact reaction, Penber," Clavis said. "You were never to know. You two were to remain apart, cast in the same situation with the Death Note. Now lighten up, for lack of a better phrase. Things are not as bad as they seem. I never thought I'd be wrestling on the floor like this here. Now settle down, or I'll really hurt you!"

"Better listen, Penber," Castra said. "Clavis isn't kidding. He knows a lot of ways to hurt a person." Castra explained how, even in spirit form, or in "doll-form", a deceased person could still be harmed by certain methods.

Raye grit his teeth and then seemed to give up the ghost, per se, and relented in his struggle.

Clavis felt the fight leave the man. "We cool now, Penber? Or, are you going to fight more?"

Raye grunted again, but said: "I yield. I won't struggle anymore. Just, why didn't you tell me…"

Clavis heard the man mutter his last words, but didn't respond to them.

Clavis let him go, and then got to his feet. Two buttons had been pulled out of their holes his jacket during the struggle, and he righted things. He refused to look sloppy, especially in front of Castra.

Castra told everyone to get back to work, there was nothing more to see. They dispersed.

Penber didn't run. He sat up, and felt his hurt arm, the arm Clavis had yanked behind his back. Getting to his feet, he said, "You owe me an explanation."

"You're owed nothing, Penber," Clavis retorted. "However, I'll show you something that may bring you some solace when it comes to this whole Death Note thing. I think you should know something about your situation. Come, both of you. Follow me."

Raye continued to rub his arm, as Clavis lead him, with Castra in tow, out of Administration, and through a series of corridors, that felt like a maze. Only a person who knew where they were going could navigate with such ease.

They walked in silence, until they arrived to a set of double doors, then entered into a large rotunda, filled with fauna and flora—a lush Arboretum, that contained two twin water falls that dropped into lung-shaped pools. Separating them, was a half-moon bamboo bridge that lead to a Greek-like pedestal with a square glass encasement on top that covered something.

Clavis lead them to it. Inside was a book, and it looked ancient.

Castra glanced around. "What is this place, Clavis? I never knew it existed. It's so calm and serene?"

"Most people wouldn't," he responded. "When we passed through those double doors, we entered through a barrier, into a pocket-dimension, that can only be accessed if you have the correct authorization, for which I have. And since you are with me, I allowed you both to enter. You two need to see this."

"You're no ordinary elevator operator," Raye Penber repeated his sentiment from before. "How can someone like you access a place like this? Who are you, really?"

Castra had a look on her face as if mentally asking the same question.

"Quindecim is not only a realm of judgement, but there are other things so mysterious, and so frightening about it, that if you knew without being prepared, they would terrify you down to your very soul. But that is not of concern at the moment. Over time, you'll get to know this place better. It's mysteries and strange happenings. Right now, this book is our focus. This is why I brought you here."

Clavis escorted them to the open book under glass. On the back of the pedestal was an electronic keypad with a series of nine characters, but they were not numerical. Clavis went to press a few of the characters, when he stopped, his fingers hovering over the keys. "On second thought, showing you is good enough. It's a cursed book."

Raye Penber stepped up and looked at the leather-bound book. He had his hands up to the glass, but at the last second didn't touch it. The curative language in the book was one he didn't recognize, even picturesque. "What am I looking at? It's old writing…"

"It was found deep in a cave in Ancient Sumeria, in the Human World," Clavis explained. "And it is over ten thousand years old, as far as we can age it. But it could be much older. We placed it under a barrier because whoever touches it, will be cursed for all time, or that's how the story goes. What you're looking at is a very, very, very old Death Note. And one of the very first known to exist."

Flabbergasted, Raye looked at him wide-eyed. "When I first came to Quindecim, I was told about the Death Note, after I had my awakening with an Arbiter, but I never thought…"

Castra looked at it, but even she couldn't decipher the writing even with her knowledge of ancient text. And she knew a lot.

"Shocking, I know," Clavis replied. "This is one of the oldest Death Note's found. It once belonged to a Shinigami who was judged in Quindecim—well before I came here. He was sent to The Void. He was the only one to escape it before the Void was reinforced. He was captured and is now chained down in the Void like _Prometheus_ of Greek lore. He resides there now. And every one in a while, his hate reverberates the very foundations of this place like an earthquake."

"You are full of surprises, Clavis," Castra remarked. "I never knew such a creature was in the Void?"

Clavis nodded. "I'll tell you about it sometime," he said. "Believe me, it took a lot of will power to keep this to myself. Oculus didn't want me telling _anyone_." He smiled with his boyish grin. "But the cat's out of the bag now."

"How well do you two know each other?" she asked.

"Very well, we have the same shoe-shiner."

Castra gave him a condescending look. She didn't look at his shoes.

"I'm not a historian," Penber then interjected. "How did Quindecim acquire this book?"

Clavis thought about it, then just said, "You're one of us now, so…This Death Note is very special, because like another 'note book', this book can also bring a person back to life and restore them to any point of a person's choosing, similar to a device we have that does the same thing. The device was actually derived from the technology written in this book, because along with its power, it is also an encyclopedia of cosmic knowledge. However, only Oculus wishes that knowledge to be known to the upper echelon."

"What's this other 'notebook' you spoke about?" Castra asked. "Are you talking about the _Life Note_?"

Clavis nodded. "Yup, and owned by that little Imp, Morph, the last of _The Brigade of Life_."

Raye Penber waved his arms in the air. "Whoa! Wait! You've lost me. Life Note? Brigade of Life? Sounds farfetched."

"On the contrary," Clavis rebuked. "There are countless cosmic forces at play for life and death. Many years ago, there was a great battle between The Brigade of Life and the Shinigami. The Brigade of Life wanted to preserve life, and save souls, while the Shinigami were engaged in what the Brigade referred to as the genocide of the humanoid race—and the human realm that you know of is but one realm where human's like yourself reside; call them alternative dimensions, if you wish. Anyway, the Shinigami were writing human names down in record numbers. The battle ensured for a very long time. In the end, Morph became the last of his kind. But then the Shinigami became lazy, and only killed when they had to. These days, there nothing but a bunch of lazy bums. However, Morph and Light Yagami have encountered each other on two separate occasions."

"Is this Morph an ally of Light Yagami?" Penber asked.

"I wouldn't say that, but he does act like a Shinigami. Yet he's more dangerous. And he enjoys playing around with humans. He can appear anywhere, and at anytime, and be anything he wishes, like a chameleon, and has been known to observe universally.

Omnipresent, is the term. The laws of space and time, even of physics, don't apply to him. If he wanted to, he could alter the very fabric of the universe. But he hasn't. And he has been known to take life for his own reasons."

"Could anything be done if Morph chose to alter certain events?"

"That's a question to ask Oculus. Even my knowledge is limited on certain things." Clavis cleared his throat. "But back to the issue at hand. I'm here to tell you that there is a way for a person who writes names into a Death Note to enter the Void, but only if they so chose. They can't be sent there involuntarily. So, for example, in your situation: If you so chose to enter the Void, even after you wrote those names down in the Death Note, even tricked doing so, you could enter the Void. However, Resurrection is off the table for you." But before Penber could ask why, Clavis shrugged, and said, "That's just how it works. You wrote in it, end of story."

"That's no choice," Penber frowned. "It wasn't my fault! Light Yagami tricked me into killing my fellow agents." Clavis put a hand up, and Raye quieted. It was a sign, as if to say, arguing would solve nothing. "But," Raye went on calmly, "I do wish to know what happened to Naomi, my fiancee. Has Oculus been able to locate her yet?"

Just then, Oculus walked through the set of double doors, his hands folded behind his back in a causal manner. He was an ease-going person, thin, with round spectacles, and a turnip for a head, some would say, with twisted hair in a bun, and a goatee. He wore brown shorts, sandals, and a blue, vertical, striped dress shirt. He was an elder, but his mind was sharper than most.

He put up hand, and said, "Hello Clavis, hello Castra, and good evening to you, young man. Raye, is it?"

Raye said, "Yes sir."

Oculus came over. "No need to stand on ceremony, Raye. You're one of us now. In that respect, so is Light Yagami. I couldn't help overhear certain things and I wanted to clarify them." He eyed Clavis, giving him a stare. It was a look of disappointment. "I don't know why Clavis decided to show you this, but he must have had a good reason—this area being highly sensitive and off limits to most people without proper clearance. Nevertheless, Clavis and I, despite outward appearances, go back a long way, and I afford him a few luxuries and privileges most do not have. His cover is an elevator operator, but he is so much more. Without getting into too much detail, let's just say: I am the _Gatekeeper_ and Clavis is the _Key Master_ , to reference a certain movie from human idiom."

"I love that movie," Clavis began to say, before Oculus gave him another stare. As if to say: Shut up.

Oculus then ventured to the pedestal and placed a hand on the glass that covered the ancient Death Note. He seemed to stare at it in thought for a few moments, then turned around, and looked at each of them in turn. Clavis saw something in the man's face that worried him.

Oculus then looked at Raye Penber. "Young man, would you like another chance? At life, that is?"

Raye Penber's eyes lit up. "Sir?" he questioned.

"I can give you life again. Your death was a mistake. It shouldn't have happened in the way it did. If you wish, I can restore you back to the land of the living. Would you like that?"

Clavis saw Raye look at him with confusion.

Clavis was also befuddled. "Oculus, that's never been done before," he said. He and Oculus shared a look, and Clavis immediately took that as, "I'll explain everything to you later."

"Well, Raye?" Oculus wished for an answer.

"Yes, most assuredly yes!" Raye replied. "But how?"

Oculus explained the details will be laid out soon. But he had to confer with Clavis and Castra for a moment alone. And they went outside in the hallway, well out of earshot to do so—leaving Raye Penber alone.

Here Oculus frowned, even angrily. But not at Clavis.

"Something has gone terribly wrong," Oculus said, when asked. "Somehow, the Shinigami Special Advisor/Arbiter sent to us, gave Light Yagami one of our devices that reverses time. We don't know how. We, the Council and I, suspect, Light's old Shinigami ally, Ryuk, may have been involved, disguising himself as a human, this Ryu fellow, and the Shinigami representative. With others, they have sprung Light Yagami from Quindecim. And we also suspect, Clavis, an old friend of yours is in cahoots with them."

"That's impossible!" Clavis said. "Only an Arbiter has the power to go back in time. And only with the sacrifice of another being could Light Yagami even live again. And what do you mean by 'a friend of mine'?"

"That's the strange part," Oculus said, answering the first inquiry. "We found Duo, the Special Arbiter dead, or rather his 'essence' sucked out of his body in a closest; his body nothing more than a dried-up husk. This is being investigated. But we need to keep this quiet. It would disrupt all of Quindecim if this incident got out into the public." They all agreed.

"So, that's why you offered that deal to Raye Penber?" Clavis said. "Do you want Penber to hunt Yagami down? Discreetly?"

"Yes, with one other," Oculus said. "Things are being arranged as we speak, permissions granted; favours called in from the highest older. This is very serious. Only once has this every happened in the history of Quindecim, and it was rectified swiftly. Light Yagami, in essence, has cheated death. The Council is not pleased and they want this settled quickly. Humans hunting humans, sounds like fair game to me. And I always enjoy a good hunt. You and Castra will go with Raye Penber. I want Light Yagami back here ASAP!"

_To be continued..._


	8. Weaponizing The Death Note

With the device in hand, Light Yagami decided to waste no time in using it. He pressed the top button—

And things worked out well beyond his wildest dreams, after a moment of nothingness. But with only one small snag…

When he awoke, he got the shock of his life, and found himself under a white sheet, and on a metal slab in a morgue. His wounds were healed, save some scarring, and every bullet removed.

He awoke with Ryuk in the morgue standing beside him. The Shinigami revealed that the moment Light pressed the button to the device, it had taken someone else's life, elsewhere, in exchange for Light's rebirth. Light wanted to ask whom, but then opted not to know. Whoever it was, he didn't care.

_I am alive again!_

He was, quite fantastically, alive, and yet, the device didn't take him to where he wished: back to the warehouse where he was confronting Near. He wanted to alter events and change the outcome. He had planned it all out, and if need be, he would shoot everyone in the warehouse dead, and claim he was the lone survivor to a Yukaza ambush. It would be revenge for what Matsuda claimed what happened to him.

But after thinking it over, this was a better outcome. He could start over, since everyone thought he was dead.

"They'll wonder where my body went," he remembered voicing his concern to Ryuk.

Ryuk told him that things had already been arranged, with help from others, and according to Light's will, his body was to be immediately dissected, his organs removed, and sent for research purposes. And his brain donated to medical science. Not to be burned whole, as previously revealed to him, and insisted by Matsuda. But the body would not be Light's, but someone of equal height and build.

Light had felt slightly disorientated when he sat up from the slab and it had taken him a few minutes to assert himself back to the land of the living. He took several deep breaths, felt his heart pumping blood, thought of a few complex mathematical equations to get his neurones firing fully, and rubbed his limbs to get his circulatory system stimulated to generate sensations.

As this was new, he had nothing to compare to. There were no papers on humans who had experienced "Resurrection" symptoms, unless those that bore religious undertones. Scientifically, they couldn't be believed.

He had officially been dead for—he couldn't be sure—and according to a set of charts left on a table in the medical lab he found himself in, his death was attributed to gunfire, when the Kira Task Force found themselves in a heated battle between some Yukaza at the warehouse on the peer, during an investigation. Near and the others were not mentioned.

He learned, in hacking into the NPA database, that Matsuda filed a report claiming the Yukaza wanted revenge for Light's involvement in the murder of Terrance Claw of the Dragon Sect, a branch of the criminal sect.

"I underestimated you, Matsuda," he thought, when he read the report, since Matsuda would have been told about the incident—then being a member of the new Kira Task Force with Light masquerading as L. Light kidnapped by the sect. "Quite clever, indeed…"

"You need to put some clothes on Light," Ryuk had said. "You walking around naked is just creepy."

"You're one to talk. There's nothing worse than seeing a scary, red-eye clown face in the dark; it smacks of a horror story," Light said sardonically. But then he found some light blue medical garb and dressed.

After he finished what he needed, he secretly left the medical facility, sneaking out a side entrance, following a cleaner, who was taking the same path—his head and face covered with a mask. He couldn't allow the cameras to capture him leaving. Near, of the Special Provision for Kira, or the SPK, who knew about the Death Note, would then attempt to hunt him down. He had to make everyone believe that he— _Light Yagami/Kira_ —was dead.

But then that left him with a dilemma— _Where do I go now?_

He debated his options and they were limited. He didn't want anything more to do with Misa Amane—if she was still alive? She was completely devoted to Kira. Knowing her personality type, she may have committed suicide. Yet, if she had died, she would be in Quindecim, because she used a Death Note.

Therefore, he concluded, Misa was still alive.

With all his other allies dead, he had but one option. And it didn't take much effort to find who he was looking for. A person he could trust implicitly and a true friend from a long time back.

Now, from what felt like a dream, Light found himself laying in a comfortable, soft bed, in the second bedroom of a luxury condo in the Konto Region, and it belonged to his friend; he arriving here, a little less than twelve hours ago. He was allowed to shower and was given new clothes, and then slept. He was exhausted.

His friend knew everything about Light's situation. He had kept a relatively low profile during the majority of the _Kira Incident,_ as far as he could recall, except with the _Bryant Harvey_ issue, and he knew everything there was to know about the Death Note, and Light's use of it.

Light opened his eyes slowly. He looked up at the ceiling and let out a long sigh.

"That was heavy, Light," came the voice of his friend.

Light sat up, and looked at his friend carrying two cups of tea to his bedside. He gave one to Light, and then brought over a chair to sit down. His friend crossed one leg over the other and then took a sip of his tea cup.

Light sipped his tea and relished in the taste. "Still a little tired, things have been a little heralding." His friend laughed at his choice of words. Light had explained everything to him, leaving nothing out. Not surprisingly, his friend believed him. "Thanks for this. I had no where else to go."

"We go back a long way, Light. Your story is a fantastic one, but since I know what happened with both L and Near, I can believe every word of it. I'm glad you're back, _my lord Kira_." A chuckle proceeded.

Light laughed. "Yeah, I guess so. Who'd ever believe a story like mine, except someone else who knows about the Death Note? I'm still trying to wrap my head around things…"

"When you were killed, your mother went crazy. She had just lost your father, and your sister was still in a wheelchair in shock, after that ordeal with Mello. It's only them now."

Light shut in his eyes in regret. He loved his family, but he had to forget about them now. For his own sake. He opened them again, and saw his friend take another sip of his tea cup. He looked calm, unworried.

"But, from what I was able to learn, your ex-task force buddies, took up a collection to help her out," his friend further said. "And I have been in contact with your mother, as well. After the events of what I went through, I'm lucky to be alive, myself—with the Savant Society, the League of Darkness, and…"

He stopped short.

Light knew about the Savant Society and the League of Darkness, being partially involved, in between his own battles with L and Near. They were both religious cults, involving Shinigami, in association with their human handlers under the guise of an organization that believed humans and Shinigami could peacefully co-exist. It was nothing but a masquerade, and a lie, by charlatans and tricksters.

In the end, both were annihilated collectively, with help from a mutual friend who was also involved, and it was through her sacrifice, that they become friends again, once bitter enemies battling each other with Death Notes.

It was her last wish for them to make up.

And before she died, she made them promise to one another to end the animosity between them, and to find a common ground. When she passed, it was Light who apologized first. It was through his actions as Kira, that his friend's grandfather was killed by a heart attack when falsely accused of being an embezzler.

Light remembered when he had made the kill. It was during a trick he tried to pull on L, when his room was wired with surveillance equipment. He managed to murder a purse snatcher and an embezzler, secretly writing names in a potato chip bag, while studying, and also watching television—a mini television was hidden in the potato chip bag that he had prepared ahead of time. It was an attempt to prove he wasn't Kira. When he wrote down the name, he had no idea it belonged to his friend's grandfather. Light thought he was being clever. He was wrong.

Later, it would be revealed that his friend's grandfather was hiding a dark secret. He was dying of terminal cancer, and it would be very painful. Despite the act, his friend, actually thanked Light for giving his father a favourable way to die; to die quickly, instead one of suffering and pain.

"So, what now? Do you have a plan? Misa Amane is no longer any concern for you, but she still has an unwavering love for you. She's held up in some religious convert at the moment for wayward Christians. From what I hear, she prays to God every day hoping for your return, thinking, I have been told, you have just 'gone away', and will be back soon. She's delusional."

"That's the understatement of the century, she's nuts, and I'm glad she's out of the picture now," Light said. _Misa relinquished her Death Note long before my final encountered with Near_. "As for my plans, nothing comes to mind. And I think I'll wait at least a year before I do anything of consequence, to allow things to settle down with Near and the SPK. I have no idea how long I was in Quindecim."

"So, Heaven and Hell are myths, eh?" His friend reached into his shirt and pulled out a crucifix on a chain. He kissed it, he was a devoted Christian. "I don't believe that. I think you got caught up in something bizarre. If Shinigami exist, and Quindecim, then the stories in the Bible _must be_ true, too. I believe this wholeheartedly. I will not toss away my whole belief system over something like this. And you're no Jesus Christ, Light, that's for sure. The only person who was ever resurrected, truly, was Christ. You used something else."

Light refused to get into a theological debate with his friend. He could believe what he wanted. He took a few more sips of his tea. Judging by the daylight, he figured it was mid-evening. He glanced around the room, with its well-furnished decor, and then asked, "So, where are the Shinigami?"

"Not sure," his friend said. "They left as soon as you laid down to rest. That was more than twelve hours ago. However, I did give my Shinigami some instructions, and I hope it can be done. We're going to need help if we are to continue the fight against Near and the SPK, to cleanse this world of the wicked that infests it. After the events that I went through, I realize you were right all along about how much evil there is in this world."

Light gave his friend a curious look. "Do you really feel that way, Demmy?"

Just then, Ryuk and Geist manifested through the bedroom exterior wall.

Ryuk's appearance was familiar and non-intimating to Light. However, not being used to Geist, his appearance was more ghastly that Ryuk's, giving pause to his presence.

Geist gave off the impression that he was a rock musician with an axe to grind, which he carried with him in the form of a bone sledge hammer strapped to his back. He wore a headband with explosive brown hair flowing off the top of his head, donning chaotic clothing that matched his eclectic look.

One thing Light noticed, however, was a buckle to the belt Geist wore in the shape of a figure eight. Light once had a similar belt in his collection before he decided to move out of his parents' house. He discarded a lot of things, when he did. One of which was a belt like that, giving most of the items to charity.

Geist was his friend's Shinigami.

Light learned of Geist in between battles with L and Near.

Demetre Draycott—or _Demmy_ , Light called him—became the owner of a Death Note that he found it in an alley one day on his way back from downtown Konto, he was nineteen at the time. He picked it up not knowing what it was, and then wrote the name of his attacker in it: a man who attempted to assault and rob him.

In between other events, Light then helped Demetre in his quest to destroy _the Savant Society_ and _the League of Darkness_ when they threatened the world in an attempt to use Shinigami to rule over all of mankind.

"Welcome back," Demetre said, sipping the last of his tea. "So, were you successful in your quest?"

Geist threw something at Demetre, flicked it through the air at a high rate of speed, and Demetre fumbled to catch it, with both hands. He dropped his tea cup to the floor and it shattered. Some of the remainder tea, droplets mainly, spattered on his beige trousers.

Demetre swore, even evoking his Redeemer's name in vein. "Geist! Why did you do that?"

Both Shinigami had a chuckle. They were like little school kids laughing at a prank.

"Ryuk! Not funny!" Light scolded him.

"You're not my mother," the Shinigami retorted.

"No, but he is your handler," Demetre said. He reached into the top drawer of a bedside table and took out Light's Death Note. Light took it. It had a plain black cover with lined pages inside.

Ryuk's eyes widened more than they normally did. "Oh right, I gave that to you in the other place. My bad! But what Geist did was funny. Aren't Shinigami allowed to laugh?"

Light didn't apologize.

Light looked back to what his friend held. Demetre lifted the item up to get a closer look, at eye level, pinching it between thumb and forefinger. It was a gold ring, with script around the outer facade. It was in Latin, one of the oldest languages still known to be spoken fluently, most notably in ancient times, and during the Roman reign.

Loosely translated, and Demetre chuckled when he read it, it read: " _In God's of Death We Trust._ " He asked for an explanation.

Geist grumbled under his supposed breath. "Are you getting forgettable? You asked me to weaponize a few pages of the Death Note. So, I did so, with help, of course…"

Geist then explained how it worked. Unlike Ryuk, Geist was quite intelligent.

When he was finished, Demetre looked at it with sublime shock.

"All you have to do is point it at your victim and think about what you want to happen," Geist continued. "I was told to think of it like using high frequency vibration, similar to shattering glass. The Death Note still exists, but you no longer have to carry it with you to kill. But, with that ring, you must still know a person's name and face to kill. All you have to do is use the power of your mind now. And before you say it, and I know you are wondering it—that you think this is too fantastic to believe. But then look at me...I am your Shinigami- _a god of death_."

Psionic powers (a.k.a. psychic powers) are the ability of using the mind to induce paranormal phenomena. They are present to various degrees in various species, even humans. The presence of psionic powers within a species is rare and is dictated by their structural makeup. Unless they are amped up by using supernatural abilities.  
"This is remarkable!" Demetre said. "Thank you! I told you to be inventive, but I never expected this."

"Weaponize the Death Note?" Light voiced curiously. "But the Death Note is already weaponized, per se."

"But Near knows about it. I knew we needed something new, an evolution of the Death Note. So, I asked if it could be done, and well…here it is. Geist, who did you go to for this to be designed and crafted?"

"You can ask him yourself."

Geist gestured, and then, a white cat jumped onto the bed.

Light was about to get out of bed, wishing to see Demetre's ring closer—when he stopped short, as the feline whisked its tail back and forth, and seemed to smile happily directly at Light.

Light suddenly sneezed, as if the dander of the cat was allergenic. The cat hissed at him, then moved away, as if the mere action was an attack. But then it sat back down on the farthest corner of the bed, and returned to its happy, go-lucky state.

Light looked at both Shinigami in turn, then asked, "And why is there a white cat on the edge of the bed?"

"I'm your friendly neighbourhood Death Cat," the animal spoke in a human voice, and quite humorously.

Light sat statuesque, unblinking, and stared at the cat. The cat just spoke. If he was hallucinating, then Demetre's face reflected with the same delusion. They looked at each other, then both looked back at the cat.

The talking cat then moved in closer, and crouched near Light's legs, and suddenly, its appearance morphed with a brilliant light into a human boy, wearing all white, with angelic-blonde hair, and clothes similar to that of a child's ancient Roman attire, with sandals. With one addition to his antiquated wardrobe: He wore a black satchel-like pouch on his right hip with a white notebook inserted within that conformed to the book's small configuration precisely.

The supernatural being waved his hand to Light, still crouching. Both were familiar with one another.

The clandestine boy smiled. "Hello, Light. Pleasure to see you again. I did say we would meet again. Did you use the pieces of the Life Note I left for you?"

_To be continued..._


	9. Resurrection - Part 1

Light Yagami scowled at the supernatural Imp known as Morph.

Morph frowned, apparently unhappy at Light's reaction in seeing him.

"Oh, come now, Light Yagami," Morph said. "Is that anyway to greet your saviour? I rescued you from an eternal existence of boredom and repetitiveness in a world between worlds, not unlike purgatory. Who do you think gave Ryuk that device to allow you to live again? If you recall when you were still alive, I asked you more than once if you wish to know where humans go when they die after they use a Death Note. Now you know."

Light was not amused. In fact, he saw this supernatural being as an annoyance, even though he was the one who murdered Terrance Claw of the Yukaza Dragon Sect and saved him from death during the Yukaza affair. (**ref: my Novel: Hollow Victory)

And no, he hadn't used the pieces of the Light Note. But he knew where they were stored for safe keeping.

Morph stood to his full height on the bed. He was only four feet tall. He extended a hand out to Demetre, and stood eye-to-eye with him. Demetre shook Morph's hand, if only out of courtesy.

"Greetings, Demetre Draycott, I know so much about you," Morph said with a smile. It was a short handshake and they each let go. "Let's see: You are descended from Russian immigrates. Three quarters American, one-third Russian. You moved to Japan with your family from America at a young age, because your father's job demanded such; an investment firm. You befriended Light Yagami quickly, went to the same grade school, and have been close childhood friends for most of your lives. You even went to the same high school. You had an encounter with L when he kidnapped Misa Amane when she was first suspected of being the Second Kira. At the same time, you were in a secret battle with Light, having recently found a Death Note. Geist became your Shinigami, and still is. You wanted revenge against Kira for murdering your grandfather for a crime he was later absolved from. You're not a killer, raised with firm Christian values, and have only used the Death Note twice since you obtained it. Once on the assailant who tried to attack you in the alley where you found it, and later a second time, to save your life."

Demetre blinked shocked.

Morph continued. "You then re-engaged with an old sweetheart that disappeared five years ago for personal reasons, that both you Light have had past romantic tidings with. Then you joined her, and became members of a secret sect known as The Savant Society, because her father was a member. From there, you battled The League of Darkness and its minions, and a man named Zurn Wellington, who turned out to be a second coming of Jack The Ripper."

Demetre stood statuesque.

"When things ended, Dana Chika—"

"Stop! That's enough!" Demetre said firmly. Light could see the muscles in Demetre's jaw tightening with anger. He turned to Light. "Light? Care to explain? Who is this impertinent… _child_?"

"Child?" Morph retorted. "I am considerably older than my appearance makes me out to be. I can also become anything I wish, but I choose this form because it's less intimidating for most. If you knew my true form, you would most likely urinate in your trousers, which, incidentally…tsk, tsk…such sloppiness."

Morph swiped a hand across the front of Demetre's trousers, removing the tea droplet stains, then he gathered up the pieces of the broken tea cup from the floor, using his powers, and repaired the cup amass in front of him. Demetre watched as the tea cup floated in mid-air and was gently placed on the night-table next to the bed.

Light sighed annoyed. "Demmy, meet Morph—he is the _progenitor_ to everything. I never told Ryuk this, but Morph is the reason _why_ I was the one that picked up the Death Note. He made it happen, giving purchase to allow it to fall on the grounds of our high school. It was not a random event, as Ryuk claimed it had been."

Ryuk looked surprised. "He never told me that when we met up to discuss how to break you out of Quindecim," the Shinigami said. "This whole plan was his doing, by the way. To resurrect you. And what I told you was true. You died before I was able to write your name down in my Death Note. I have a second chance to do so. I could write your name down right now, Light. But I would prefer to be entertained. I don't want to kill you."

"I appreciate that, Ryuk," Light said back, looking at the clown-face Shinigami. He then mused for a few moments. "Ryuk, thinking back, and correct me if I am wrong, but when I had a heart attack, when you were supposed to have killed me with the Death Note, I specifically remember you showing me the page you wrote on. You wrote my _full name_ —no mistakes. That would conclude that you killed me. I remember this because I fought you from doing so. You told me that I had lost the game against Near, and you didn't know how I was going to get out of my situation after being exposed. I died of a heart attack, I remember this. Explain to me, because I'm confused. Why didn't you collect the remainder of my lifespan at that time as you dictated would happen, as per our contract?"

Ryuk gestured to Morph. "Let _him_ explain it, _he_ did it. I _did_ write you name." Ryuk took out his skull chain black Death Note with the leather binding and flipped through the pages to the page with Light Yagami's name written in it. Light's name was the only one on that particular page. "See? Here is it. As clear as day, and not misspelled."

Morph chuckled. "I'm a being of many attributes, Light Yagami. Let's just say, I've given you a second chance to rectify certain wrongs. But if you wish to know the details, then I'll tell you…"

Morph then explained how he went back in time, wrote Light's name in the Life Note before Ryuk could write Light's name in the Death Note, and allowed nature to take its course. Light did have a heart attack, but on his own, from the shock of being shot several times, and died, making it appear the Death Note had killed him.

Ryuk then went back to the Shinigami Realm, thinking the Death Note was finished, and was imprisoned by the Shinigami King for what he had done, and had his personal Death Note taken away.

Many years later, Ryuk spoke with Geist when he visited his cell. Ryuk was chained and was left to die, unable to write down anymore names in a Death Note. He told Geist what happened in the Human World.

After his story, this gave Geist incentive to come to the Human World to make a pact with a human, because Geist wanted to experience the same thing Ryuk did. And the human who just happened to pick up his fallen Death Note was Demetre Draycott. Geist purposely let it fall in Japan, hoping to attract another Kira-like person. Only, he didn't, and got a human with a moral compass, but who, surprisingly, entertained him.

Morph then further said that he convinced the Shinigami King under the guise of being another Shinigami, tricking him, that Ryuk had to return to the Human World because a pact was still enforced with Misa Amane, and he had to stay until that contract ended. Hence, his personal Death Note was returned. Ryuk had to remain there until he killed her or the Death Note was finished, whichever came first—which was a lie. Morph altered events, whereas Misa never relinquished ownership of the Death Note. But then reversed her ownership, when Ryuk was free.

Ryuk then partnered with Morph, and remained in the Human World—defying the Shinigami King, the events of his imprisonment altered, but Geist coming to the Human World still occurred.

"You see, changing one event alters a series of others," Morph explained. "This is known as the Butterfly Effect, in scientific circles. But I assume you already know this, Light Yagami. And Time itself can change and yet remain the same, causing a temporal vortex—whereas portions of one timeline can sometimes intersect with another. It can, also, create a few abnormalities, but I don't foresee that happening in this case. Everything is now sealed."

"We then met up, he approached me, and we devised a way to break you out of Quindecim," Ryuk finished.

After a moment of reflection, Light acknowledged the genius of it all.

To further add to the information given out, Light then went into detail about Morph, telling Demetre.

When Light first encountered Morph, the Imp said he was bored, when he altered the trajectory of Ryuk's Death Note—it was originally headed to the America's. Morph said he was the last of his kind, a member of a supernatural race called The Brigade of Life, that once fought against the Shinigami in an ancient war. The Brigade lost the fight, and the remainder of his people, in spirit form, now lived within him, as a collective.

"He's the owner of the _Life Note_ , the opposite of a Death Note," Light explained. "And when used within seventy-two hours, it can restore a person back to life if someone dies from the Death Note. It is much like a Death Note; picturing a face, and writing down a name, correctly spelled, restores life, instead of that to kill."

Continuing, Light then revealed more details.

He said, that it was during an ' _accidental infiltration_ ' into the heart of the Yukaza that he first met Morph.

However, Morph revealed that he had had encountered Light previously. Light was only told about it, but he could not remember that encounter.

It was during a case he and L teamed-up, that dealt with the son of a child kidnapper, who wanted revenge on Light for past transgressions against his father. But that was a separate case. (**ref: The Case of Jasper Yuta).

"Before my encounter with the Yukaza and the events that followed, I was assigned surveillance duties outside the Kira Task Force by the then chief of the NPA, who needed my expertise to help out in a raid they were planning against the criminal organization, when one of his people was suddenly struck down with a heart attack, not Kira related. I decided to accept, because, let's just say, I was bored, and needed something new to bite my teeth on. The Kira case had run cold, and there was a reason for that. But things when horribly wrong…"

He went on. He said he was attacked, kidnapped, and taken deep underground to a hidden complex under Japan, where he came face-to-face with its benefactor and leader to a branch of the Yukaza called the Dragon Sect. Within the facility, there housed a torture den, and Light had his first taste of pure agony at the hands of its Mistress.

Terrance Claw, the master of the facility, designed the complex, and used it to hide his people from Kira. Everyone who resided within used an alias to disguise their real names, which made it extremely difficult for Kira to kill them.

Morph had attached himself to Claw, but then murdered the man, because he was considered too weak of an anchored-host, hoping Light would agree to be his new host.

"But I declined at the time, and for good reason," Light finished.

"You met some wonderful people there, didn't you, Light Yagami?" Morph said with a chuckle.

Light looked reflective. He mentally nodded.

He wished two people he met down there had survived the aftermath. They deserved better than dying at the hands of Terrance Claw's enforcer Nazareth. He had started to develop feelings for Tigressa, the Mistress of the Torture Den, who lived within the underground complex. Her real was Asumi Satou.

They say Stockholm Syndrome is a mental illness, but he believed there was much more to it. She was smart, beautiful, caring, and stimulated him in ways he never before dreamed—unlike Misa Amane. And despite the situation, he and Asumi had sexual relations while he was there. At first, it was to gather information, to get the names of all the Yukaza that lied within to kill them all, but then it turned into something unexpected.

Then, there was Riki, her Prime Assistant. He called himself an Evaluator. He helped Tigressa in her torture duties. He prepared her victims, softening them up, before they were brought to her for interrogation.

Light learned later how the boy was plucked from the streets and forced into the trade. Riki, or Hiro—which was his real name—deserved a lot better than what life had dealt him. But it was thanks to Riki, who gave him a list of all the Yukaza that resided within the underground facility, downloading the database onto a USB stick, that helped the NPA destroy the Dragon Sect completely.

Light insisted on giving them both proper funerals after he was rescued. He thought that was the least he could do.

If they had survived, he would want them to join him now. They deserved a second chance like him.

"Basically, Morph leaches off human souls to obtain their soul energy to feed himself, or rather his brethren inside him," Light said condescendingly. "And if you ask me, he fits the profile of a leech perfectly."

Morph stepped off the bed. "You sound annoyed, Light Yagami," he said disappointed. "I could send you back to Quindecim—to suffer for all eternity in the Void? I _can_ make it happen."

Light didn't answer him.

Demetre held his new ring up to the ceiling illumination, like it was some sort of godly item a treasure hunter just found in a cave. He had placed it around the third finger of his left hand, as if it was a wedding band—the perfect cover if it was to remain discreet. "This ring…" Demetre began. "Did you make this, Morph?"

Light mentally thanked Demetre for the sudden change in subject matter. The exchange between himself and Morph was getting a little heated. But then he said, albeit jokingly: " _One ring to rule them all, one ring to find them, one ring to bring them all, and in the darkness bind them,_ " reciting the verse from a popular fantasy novel.

Demetre laughed. "Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," he said.

Morph frowned, said: "How quaint. And I thought I was being original. You humans have an untold reach when it comes to your imagination." He then turned to Light. "I have something very special for you, Light Yagami. It's forged from the pages of your/Ryuk's fallen Death Note, which I took from you while you were sleeping. And might I add, you sleep like a baby, all curled up like an infant—how cute." He grinned with a smirk.

Light narrowed his gaze, grit his teeth, and whipped the covers off him. He got to his feet. He wore a pair of jockey's, and nothing else. Despite back amongst the living, the scars of his demise were still present in the form of several wounds: most notably one on his upper chest, and another on his left arm—where Matsuda shot him. He remembered the shot to his arm caused complete paralyses to it, his arm dangling at his side when he was trying to flee Near, the SPK, and the Kira Task Force, in an attempt to give them the slip in the warehouse district.

But he had beaten them. He was alive again!

"Don't mock me, Morph! I am in no mood for games!"

_To be continued..._


	10. Resurrection - Part 2

Morph laughed. "Some games are worth playing, Light Yagami. But believe me when I say, a game is only as fun when there is a challenge. Otherwise, what is the point when you know you are going to win?"

Light smiled to himself. Morph was right. He had felt the same way when he was battling wits with L. Near, not so much. In fact, Near was nothing more than an inferior copy of L. There was no one that could replace L. And when L finally died, Light actually felt a pang of regret, because he had lost a true and worthwhile opponent.

After that, Kira reigned supreme for nearly five years.

But in his plight to cleanse the world of evil, Light felt empty, because no one had the ability to challenge him. He fooled the Kira Task Force. But even if they knew about him, none of them would be a challenge for him, and he would depose of them all in freak and unfortunate accidents like he did with the members of the Yotsuba Group.

In retrospect, he wish he had, and along with Misa Amane.

But L was dead, and he was never coming back. L had never used the Death Note, so he could not come back from the dead like Light. So, there was no point in wasting any brain cells in thinking about the dead detective.

Light now had had other challenges to tackle and the most prominent one was rebuilding his life back to a standard like that of before. He could forget about being a detective. But those years in gathering intelligence for the NPA and other law enforcement agencies would not go to waste. He could use that knowledge for his own purposes. But he would need capital, and allies, to achieve his goals—no longer depending on other intelligent services as aids.

Morph waved a hand in front of Light's face. Light blinked, taking him away from his reverie. "Sorry, I was thinking about something else," Light said. "I agree with you on battling a worthy opponent in a true game of chance."

Morph smirked. "I'm glad we can agree on something," he said, then snapped two his fingers of his right hand.

Suddenly manifested in his left hand, in an open palm, appeared a small, white, square case, twelve centimetres by twelve centimetres. He then presented it to Light, as if it were a prize for a king, and the most precious thing in the world, even saying, "For you, Lord Kira," albeit somewhat condescendingly.

Then: "I present to you, your new Death Note, Light Yagami. As Geist explained, the Death Note no longer needs to be carried around to be effective. It has evolved, no more a mere book. I crafted Demetre Draycott a ring, because it would be discreet to wear. This item is similar, and it will be very easy for you to use. And, in case you have any questions, it comes with a mini-pamphlet of _How To Use It_ instructions like the Death Note. And just to be clear: With both of your items—Light and Demetre—in using them, your victims names will still be written in your notebooks, although they will be done so metaphysically. You won't have to do so yourself. Your thoughts and Death Notes will be combined like a symbiotic host being—one depending on the other to operate. You can be half way across the world, or your Death Note can buried a hundred feet underground, submerged, sealed in concrete, misplaced, or the like, and they will still work as one. However, I need not need to explain the cause-and-effect if you lose ownership of your Death Note, do I? And yet, if you do, the knowledge of your items will be lost."

Neither Light nor Demetre responded, but Light knew silence was also a form of acknowledgement.

"Good, then open the case, Light Yagami," Morph said.

Light opened it, but when he looked inside at the item, he was dumbfounded.

He plucked it out. It was carefully placed in a protective encasement within. "A black mouthguard?" he said. "What the hell is this? You gave Demmy a ring, and me a mouthguard? Is this a joke? I don't grind my teeth, Morph."

"It's not to protect your teeth, Light Yagami. It's several pages of your Death Note weaponized. I think it's quite ingenious. It is placed inside of your mouth, behind your upper teeth."

"I still don't understand."

Light handed it over to Morph when he asked for it.

Morph then said, "It's a device that uses mind manipulation through a form of neuropathy." He pointed at some electronic components within the interior of the mouthguard. There were also wire attachments that hooked around Light's back molars to secure it. "You won't even notice it and it won't affect your speech. Any command you give a person with this device, they must obey without question even if goes against their moral code. They will suffer unimaginable pain if they refuse you and will eventually go insane if they keep resisting you. With this device, any person will be your unwitting servant, without say or question. And if they take it out, they will die."

Light took it back and was stunned. "I'm a little confused. I thought you preserved life? You are the owner of the Life Note. This is uncharacteristic from what I know about you, Morph."

"True, but I have been known to take lives like Shinigami to survive, too," Morph revealed. "I once had this intense battle with a fool who thought he could challenge me, and he had abilities no humanoid should possess. In the end, I taught him a very valuable lesson. But that was a long time ago. Sufficed to say, I like you Light Yagami. You are a very interesting human being. So complex, and exciting to watch. Like I said, I was bored when I changed the trajectory of the Death Note so you could pick it up. It is time to write a new chapter in your story."

"How does this work? Does it work like Demmy's ring?"

"Yours is a little more down to earth," Morph replied. He waved a hand, and twelve more cases like the previous one suddenly appeared on the bed in a semi-circle, like teeth. Morph used his powers to open each lid psionically.

In each, mouthguard's resided like the one given to Light, but they were white. Morph picked one up.

"In order to use _your_ mouthguard—let's call it _the Alpha_ —you must give one of these other mouthguard's to someone to wear, tricking them into doing so. Then you must manipulate them into agreeing to your terms, playing a game with them, or challenging them to a battle of wits. It may take some convincing. But with your intelligence, that shouldn't be difficult. If they agree, and lose, then they'll become your obedient servant."

"For a clandestine being with untold cosmic powers, you're not very inventive, Morph," Demetre Draycott interjected. "Read any good Japanese manga lately? I've read that manga, you plagiarist."

Morph gave him a scowl, then smirked. "You can learn a lot about a culture in how they educate their children through picture books, and the alike," he responded. "The irony is your entire culture is on constant repeat, plagiaristic in every way. So many countless wars and butchery over the same issues thought long settled."

"Point taken," Demetre agreed straightly, losing his smugness.

"Like I said, you humans are very inventive. Especially when it comes to building weapons. But I digress. Yes, I borrowed the idea**, because it was not only quite inventive of its own violation, but it will be discreet in its use. However, I have adapted the idea to serve another agenda. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

"And you're a deity-like being, so you can do whatever the heck you want," Demetre remarked.

Morph smirked. "You catch on very quickly, Demetre Draycott," he replied.

Morph explained that he had found a manga laying on the ground, and tossed haphazardly away, with torn pages, partially wet and stained with weather damage, when he was visiting the Human World, wandering the streets, looking for anchor hosts, and it featured the inspired item for Light Yagami's new weaponized Death Note.

He said he didn't think much of it at the time, but later when he recalled back, the idea came in very handy, when he was approached by Geist and Ryuk, asked by Demetre, for ideas to give new life to the Death Note instead of the standard notebook. He wondered why, but then he thought: weaponization with a twist.

But Morph forgot the name of the manga. All he remembered was the concept.

Light wondered about the mouthguard. He put it down, so he could dress, putting on a pair of dark trousers, that Demetre was lending him from a near-by closest. He also chose a suitable dress shirt, seeing he and Demetre were the same fit. He chose all dark clothes. "How does this work? Can we test it?"

"It won't work on any one of us," Morph said, gesturing to himself and the Shinigami. "Once you persuade another human to your terms, and they insert one of these other guard's into their mouths, and they lose to you—if you wish to release them from your command, then all you have to do is say the words: ' _I release you_.'"

Light looked at Demetre, as he buttoned his shirt. He gave him a thin smirk with a tilt of his head.

Demetre put up his hands, and said, "Forget it, Light. I won't be a slave, not to you, or to anyone else."

"I would never dream of it. You're my equal, Demmy. And note, I have never said that to anyone before. We've known each other for most of our lives. You are like a brother to me, and I would never do anything to hurt you." He rolled his eyes. "Except that time when I wanted you dead, when I thought you were my enemy…"

Demetre cocked his head with a smirk. "Yeah, that time," he said.

"Although, you have never won a game a chess against me."

"In the chess game of life, Light, I believe I've won hands down."

"In that, I concede to you. Consider that a little bit of personal growth on my part."

"Speaking of personal growth, you may want to try a little hair colour," Morph jumped in, pointing to Light's head.

"Why? What's wrong with the colour of my hair?"

"Nothing, we match. I've always liked platinum white myself."

Demetre opened his mouth. "Ah, yes…I meant to tell you sooner, Light," he said, collecting a small mirror from a side table. "You hair is no longer the same colour as it was when you first arrived here. It's changed to pure white."

Light took the mirror, and looked at himself, thrusting a hand through his now ghostly, white hair. It was no longer brown. He remembered catching a glimpse of himself at the medical facility in a reflective surface before he fled the building, his identity hidden behind a mask, and his hair was perfectly fine then.

"What the hell happened to my hair?" he said shocked.

"A good fright usually does that," Morph said. "It's called Marie Antoinette Syndrome. Rumour has it that during the night before she was to be executed by the guillotine near the end of the French Revolution, her hair turned stark white. You came back from the dead, Light Yagami. You know what awaits you when you die after using a Death Note. Somewhere in the back of your mind, it must have frightened you. Your hair will never be the same again."

Light was shocked, but he didn't feel frightened in the slightest. In fact, he felt invigorated, and full of energy. He couldn't wait to get back to work again punishing criminals. But…

He sat down on the edge of the bed, and took a moment.

"Of course," he reasoned. "Yet hair colour and appearance is nothing in the grand scheme of things. I'm alive again, and that's all that matters. You know, if I'm supposed to be a 'ghost', then I might as well look the part." He smirked. "Besides, I've seen a few cartoons, and the most interesting protagonists are the one's with white hair."

Demetre cocked an eyebrow. "Cartoons, Light? I never took you for one to watch cartoons?"

Light blushed. "Well, some of the one's I saw weren't half bad. Especially the one's with a good, intelligent theme. I had to relax somehow, apart from writing names in the Death Note. And Misa wasn't much entertainment. If you know what I mean? I had to shutdown my brain, or I would never get to sleep. And they helped."

Morph laughed boisterously. "Oh, that's funny!" he said. "The great and powerful Kira admits he watches cartoons." Light scowled. "Nevertheless, you seem to be taking this quite well, Light Yagami," Morph then said. "Normally, anyone else would go insane after what they've experienced. You seem strong willed and determined. You have been granted a second chance at life. As I said, when I gave you those pages of the Life Note: Use it wisely."

"I'm not like other people, Morph. And I will use this second chance to my advantage. I'll use it to continue my work. This world still has so much more evil to cleanse. The Shinigami also wish to be entertained. But I can't carry on like I did. I'll need something…new. Some new venue, a new look, and a new name. And I'll need _your_ help, Demmy. I need _you_ to be at my side. Together, _we_ can bring order to the Human World." Light stood.

Demetre nodded, and extended a hand. Light clasped it, they shook.

"Partners, like The Brother's Grimm," Demetre remarked.

Light laughed. "Something like that."

"Would you like a hair cut, Light Yagami?" Geist offered, chuckling, retrieving his bone club from behind his back. It was large in size and had the appearance of something from the Stone Age. "Your hair looks dishevelled. I know a little bit about cutting hair, I do my hair all the time."

"Thanks for the offer, Geist, but I wish to keep my head on my shoulders," Light retorted. "I'll find a human barber."

"Death is not forever, Light Yagami," Morph said divinely. "In fact, it's just the beginning of a whole new journey. And now, here, you have a new start. I'm curious how you will undertake the challenge? Boredom can be universal when you live forever. Incidentally, I wrote your name in the Life Note. So, you no longer have to fear dying by the Death Note. You are under my protection now, as is Demetre Draycott—for a price."

"I piece of my soul? My life essence for you to feed on? I accept. I have no problems with that." Light turned to his friend. Demetre also agreed to the terms when they were briefly explained. "Thank you, Morph, for resurrecting me," Light then said. "But don't take too much of my spiritual essence. I plan on living for a long time."

Morph nodded. "You are quite welcome…"

"That's not fair!" Geist said. "What about us? Their lifespan is ours to take when the time comes. What's the point in all of this, for us, if you just took away our main incentive for being in the Human World?"

"Other than a life of imprisonment in the Shinigami Realm for causing untold havoc in the Human World? And that goes for both of you!" Morph said harshly. He waved a hand, and then something took place. It wasn't seen, but it felt by both Shinigami, because they both jolted like they had just been given a mild electrical shock. "There, your lifespans have just increased a thousand fold. More than you would get from these two. You two can remain here, if you wish, and be entertained, or go elsewhere. It makes no difference to me. I will make sure the Shinigami King cannot touch you. That arrogant fool! The Shinigami King and I go along way, but that tale is left for another day. Now, be quiet!"

The Shinigami looked at each other bewildered at the stringent command. Light noticed Morph's tone bordered on a certain animosity towards them. But he compartmentalized that away for another time.

"Now look here," Geist said growling, wielding his bone club. "No one orders me around!"

"Geist, settle down," Demetre said. "Leave it alone for now."

Geist's eye pockets glowered red with an irksome emotion, but then he nodded, and returned his bone club to its holster on his back. "Fine, I'll back off for your sake, Demetre. But I don't like his tone of voice."

"You'll get used to it, Light's the same way," Ryuk said, chuckling. Geist grunted.

Morph didn't respond, leaving the Shinigami's remarks up in the air.

Morph suddenly clapped his hands together, as if to get everyone's attention. "There is work to be done, and plans to bare fruit. I can't wait to see what _you_ will do." He spoke his words to both Light and Demetre with a sinister grin. "And I have to admit, I'm quite excited to see what you have in store, and how you _will_ entertain me."

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (**Author's Note: The manga in question is called Dorei-Ku)


	11. Hit By A Wammy

The majestic waterfalls filled the lung-shaped pools. The sound of the water at any other time should have created a calming and serene effect, but after Clavis told Raye Penber what Oculus revealed to him and Castra in the corridor, Raye was anything but at ease. In fact, he was infuriated and angry.

Clavis was also angry, but for a different reason.

Oculus had left as soon he told Clavis the news. Quindecim had a breach in security and he didn't know who was listening, so he wanted to relay the sensitive information privately.

"What in the hell do you mean Light Yagami is alive? That's impossible!" Raye protested. "How?"

"Oculus and the investigators are still working on the details," Clavis said. "We still don't know how Ryuk, Light Yagami's Shinigami, got one of our time travelling devices; they are normally locked up. Only Arbiters are allowed to use them, but only after levels of authorization from the top brass, because they are so dangerous. Over the years, Arbiters have tempted humans with the option of changing their past, so they could make better choices. But after they learn that someone at random would have to be sacrificed for them to live again, none have chosen the option, whatever their reasons may have been, until now with the death of the Special Arbiter, Duo."

"Light Yagami didn't care," Castra said straightly. "Most psychopaths don't."

"And here is more bad news," Clavis began. "There is also a strange force blocking our tracking of Light Yagami's location, a spiritual barrier, per se. We don't know where Yagami travelled back to. Yagami was shot several times by one of his own task force members in a warehouse. We could start there and search for any clues. The time travel device can take you back to anywhere you wish. So, for example, he may have travelled back in time, and murdered himself to take his duplicate's place, then altered history knowing of the future—that's one possibility."

Castra held a computer tablet. "And yet, our attempts to track Yagami are being nullified." She explained how there were methods to track someone who travelled through time. One of which was a person's slip stream stamped with their specific DNA marker. It was very sophisticated technology that Quindecim possessed. "But I can tell you this: the future has been changed."

"There's only one _being_ I know who has the power to be this devious, and he and Yagami have encountered each other before," Clavis said. "If I have to guess, it's Morph—a supernatural Imp." Castra nodded, as if to confirm. "As I said before, he has the ability to change the very fabric of time and space. We have been watching him closely. But he has the ability to possess people without their knowledge and manipulate them to do his will."

"Could he had done so with Duo? Used him to gain access to Quindecim without us knowing?" Raye wondered.

Clavis nodded. "No wonder Duo was the sacrificial lamb." He cupped his chin in thought. "And his death wasn't at random, it was by design, to cover Morph's tracks. Damn it! I knew I should've killed him what I had the chance!"

"Clavis, what do you mean?" Castra asked. "Okay, spill it! What the hell is going on? You're hiding something from us. You seem to know a lot more than we do. Tell us, right now!"

Clavis put up his hands to calm her hostility. Then he looked at her with a thoughtful stare and smiled.

"You're so cute when you're angry, Castra. That's what I like you, you're so honest with your emotions. I wish we could've got together sooner."

Clavis sighed heavily, and then began to unbutton his jacket. He took it off and dropped it to the floor. Underneath, Clavis wore a black bodysuit, but it was his face that drew the most attention. A large jagged scar suddenly manifested across his face in a zig-zag diagonal line.

"I hid this because it's so unsightly," Clavis said. "I'm not the pretty-boy so many people think I am. I also have several scars on my chest, back, and other parts of my body. And every one of them was done by Morph."

Castra asked what had happened between him and Morph and to spare nothing.

Clavis began to tell them an in depth story.

Then: "In the end, after a fierce battle, I was scarred forever, and my wife and son had been murdered by Morph. I had an opportunity to eliminate him, but I hesitated because I'm not a killer."

He then said Morph fled after the new Shinigami King rose to power.

"He's not what he claims to be," Clavis stated. "It's true, he was a member of The Brigade of Life, but he's the one who started the war against the Shinigami. It was in retaliation for something, but I'm not quite clear. It was so long ago, even I forget. But he's a sadistic trickster and can't be trusted. He is the owner of the Life Note. It has the ability to restore a person back to life if they have been killed by a Death Note. But he's been known to kill without mercy, too. He craves power, but plays it down. He enjoys playing with people, and will do anything to keep the last remnant of his people alive that reside inside him. He may have started the war, but it cost a great deal."

"So, that story you just told us," Raye began, "you were on the side of the Shinigami because Morph murdered your wife and son? You still haven't explained who or what you are really are?"

"I chose the name Clavis, because, along with Oculus, I help keep Quindecim going. He is the _Gatekeeper_ , and I am the _Key Master._ Clavis means 'key'. But I sipped up, and Morph managed to infiltrate this realm without my knowledge. He picked the lock, so to speak. That's my fault, and I take responsibly for that. And Duo paid the ultimate price. Clavis isn't my real name. Unfortunately, my real name is unpronounceable. Think of it like a sound that you sing. I come from…No, not yet." He gave Castra a smile. "Do you hate me now? I've been lying to you."

Castra paused, but then went over and gave Clavis a giant kiss on the lips, holding the sides of his head, so he couldn't flee. This shocked him, but he remained on the spot.

When the kiss broke, Clavis breathed out hot breath, and he felt his face flush with warmth.

"No more lies, Clavis," she said, "and no more deception. I like you for who you are. I always have. Be damned the rules on rank relations. You have no idea how long I've wanted to do that."

"You have no idea how long I've waited," Clavis said back. "Yes, I'm sorry. No more lies."

Raye Penber cleared his throat.

Clavis then cleared his own. "Yes, well, let's back to the issue at hand." Clavis smiled at Castra. "We'll talk more about things later." He then used his special abilities to cloak his scar again, waving a hand across his face like a magician. Castra said nothing against it. It was his decision to hide it. He had vowed never to show it to anyone, until today. And yet the love of his life didn't care that it looked hideous. She liked him for himself.

"So, what's our next step?" Penber inquired. "How do we go about bringing Light Yagami back here?"

"We go after him, without having to sacrifice anyone," Clavis said. "So, we by-pass normal protocols. Oculus said he was willing to restore your life, so, as soon as we step foot on the Human World, your life will be restored. And someone else will be coming with us, if it is allowed. But special permissions must to be granted for such a request. We believe he is the only person who can successfully defeat Light Yagami. He's outsmarted him once before. He had Light Yagami cornered, but his arrogance ended up costing him his life."

Raye Penber's eyes lit up in sudden realization. "No way, you don't mean?"

Clavis waved off any further details. "We'll get to that later. It's rare that such a request is granted, however. But seeing it's coming from Oculus, I'm pretty sure it will be allowed."

"So, tell me something," Raye continued. "Why are you so calm? If I just found out the person who murdered my family committed a prison break of a murderous psychopath, I'd want to go after him right away. In my previous life, I was a detective, law and order was my baby, and some feelings can't be so easily controlled."

For a moment, Clavis said nothing. The sound of the twin waterfalls in the room were the only thing that filled the air, the serenity giving him a sense of calm. "I've thought about it. As I've said, we've been watching him. But then I come here to meditate. This place is what gives me solace, and this is one of the reasons why I brought you here. To calm you down after that incident in Administration. I believed it worked, you appear more calm."

"I get calm when things are explained to me. People get frustrated when they're kept in the dark. It vexes them."

"Fair enough, but there was a reason for the secrecy. Now, we are the one's deputized to clean things up. The last thing we need is Quindecim Special Forces raiding the Human World and snatching Light Yagami in public and creating fuel for conspiracy theorists. Did you know that some people actually believe Quindecim exists? They write blogs, describing it in detail, and its people. Someone is blabbing about us. We have a spy here."

"That's why, when a blog is detected, I'm one of many who delete them," Castra said. "We watch the Human World for things like this, and deal with it when it arises. But we don't know how the information is being distributed."

"Conjecture and exaggeration," Penber posed. "That's how I would think of it. As the saying goes: there is a kernel of truth in every exaggerated lie. Eventually people believe the lie more, and truth is soon forgotten."

Clavis nodded. "Very well put," he said. "As for why I am so calm when it comes to Morph, the reason is I know I'm not strong enough to defeat him. He's an X-Factor, as we put it, with unlimited powers and a wide range of abilities. And he can't be beaten by normal means, and frankly, I'm not sure how to take him down."

"But here's a question: Why is he so enamoured with Light Yagami?" Raye asked.

"He's similar to a Shinigami, in some respect. Every being gets bored when they have the ability to live forever. From what information we could gather, he is the one who started it all—he made things happen for Light Yagami to pick up the Death Note. You can say, he is the _progenitor_ to Humanity's new Post-Kira reality."

Clavis asked to see Castra's tablet. He then checked a few things, expertly. On more than once occasion he was asked to join Administration, but he declined. He didn't want anyone knowing his secret past, that he knew a lot more than he was leading on. Even Oculus had tempted him with new responsibilities. But he refused all opportunities and remained an elevator operator, and for selfish reasons.

But now, he no longer had to hide it, and his special skills and knowledge would come in handy.

He passed the tablet back to Castra with analytical and graphical data on the screen.

"Light Yagami's time-stream appears to be blocked here—after he died," Clavis revealed. "Using deductive reasoning, I think it is safe to say he's somewhere in his old stomping grounds, in the Kanto Region of Japan. So, we travel there. From what I was told, he was in Quindecim for up to five years, in human time, before seeing an Arbiter. But time doesn't exist here like it does in the Human World. So, five years may have past in your world, Raye, but only mere days passed here. Light Yagami looks like he went back to five years ago."

Castra concluded Clavis was right. "When Yagami died, he was twenty-three years old, and suffered a heart attack after being shot several times, according to his profile," she relayed. "And he wasn't murdered by a Death Note—like Raye. That probably didn't sit well with Ryuk, his Shinigami at the time, who wanted his remaining lifespan. So, I would say, Ryuk struck a deal with Morph to infiltrate Quindecim secretly, because they could get under our radar disguised as Special Arbiters to break Light out. Maybe Ryuk wishes to kill him properly in the Human World, the way the contract dictates? Those who write in a Death Note can neither no to Heaven or Hell, as the rules say."

"Okay, if that's true," Raye started. "Then why isn't Light Yagami back here? If Ryuk joined forces with Morph to break Yagami out, all Ryuk has to do is kill Yagami again by writing his name in a Death Note."

"Unless Morph is now protecting him?" Clavis wondered. "You see, if a person's name is written in a Life Note, then that person is protected from the effects of a Death Note. They can't be killed by one. The Death Note is rendered inert. That is one of Morph's greatest weapons, among others. He's up to something, I just know it, and that's why he's blocking our attempts to find Light Yagami. Yagami is under Morph's divine protection now. And, let's just say, a person dies outside the range of the Life Note. Morph has the ability to bring a person back to life with the Life Note, as long as it's within seventy-two hours of their death, or he could travel back in time and do so, either preventing their deaths or lifting the veil of death at the moment of dying. Do you understand?"

Raye nodded.

Castra's tablet beeped with an internal message. She read it to herself, then gave it to Clavis to read.

"Looks like special permission has been granted, but certain provisions still have to be taken," Clavis said. "Ginti will be joining us later. He'll bring our last party member when we finally get settled. In the mean time, let's get ready to go. Whatever you wish to bring, go get it. We'll meet back here in an hour."

When the hour had lapsed, the party returned to the special room, each given access by Clavis.

Castra brought a red shoulder bag with equipment, and was dressed in a blood-red body suit with silver adornments, that conformed to her hour-glass figure like skin-vinyl. She also wore black knee-high boots. She said she had thought about dying her hair blonde from silver, but decided against it.

Raye brought some items as well in a small black bag. He had also chosen suitable attire, dressing out of his black and white Administration uniform. He wore all black and donned a dark trench coat. He was a detective in his past life, and it just felt right to wear one when going undercover once again.

Clavis also brought a shoulder bag, and dressed in dark clothes—donning his black body suit that accentuated his muscles, with dark trousers. But he also wore a dark bomber jacket to finish off the ensemble. He brought a time device with him. It had the appearance of a digital watch, something normal looking to disguise its true purpose.

He left his hair green, but decided to remove most of his facial jewelry, leaving only a few earrings. He thought it best not to get stared at. The last thing they needed when they arrived in the Human World was to get gawked at.

Castra frowned. "I liked the jewelry, Clavis," she said. "It really suited your personality."

"I didn't take everything off," he said with a wink, hinting of his jewelry lower down.

"Oh, you're wicked," she said back playfully.

Raye cleared his throat.

Clavis got serious. "Yes, sorry," he said. "It's just that, we've teased each other for so long in secret, that now we can express our feelings out in open, it's hard to contain ourselves."

"I understand," Raye replied with a smile. "It was the same with Naomi and I. Thinking back, I regret asking her to leave her position in the FBI when I asked her to marry me. I could tell in her eyes that she loved the job. And just FYI, everyone knew you two liked each other. It was so apparent, like two high school students in love."

Clavis and Castra looked at each other shocked. "Everyone?" they said in unison.

Raye smiled and nodded.

After a moment of de-briefing, the trio readied themselves for the trip.

Clavis explained the travel will be instantaneous. But when they arrived, they may feel a little disoriented from the sudden jump through time. And they may feel nauseous. If they have to vomit, it was encouraged.

Clavis reached into his trousers pocket and pulled something out. He handed it to Raye. It reminded Raye of a hearing aid that went around the back of the ear. "Before we depart, this is for you. We all get one. Since Light Yagami knows what you look like, you need a disguise. We'll be able to see each other as we truly are, but everyone else will see a different person. Now that I think about it, you're the only one that looks normal, Penber. We look a motley crew, don't we? Castra's brown-golden skin and white hair really stands out. And I have green hair. I thought about dying it, but decided against it. This is easier."

They all placed the devices behind their ears, attaching them like they were the exterior part to a hearing aid.

Clavis set the "watch" and coordinated it for a specific time and location. He figured Light Yagami would want to go back to the warehouse where he encountered a boy named Nate River, known mononymously known as Near, who was, at the time, the leader of the Special Provision for Kira (SPK), sent to stop Kira, and who, for a time, was Light Yagami's mortal enemy, succeeding where the detective known as L failed. This is where they would start.

"With Light's knowledge of the future, he will more than likely will want to alter events here," Clavis stated. "We'll observe first, but if things progress abnormally, only then we'll act. And fix things as they occur. Ready?"

Raye and Castra agreed, and acknowledged they were set to commence the mission.

Activating the device was straightforward, set with its coordinates. In an instant, they were gone. Vanished.

For a split moment, there was nothing…

Then, they all appeared on solid ground, landing as if they were visitors from another world.

Raye Penber blinked shocked. "That's it? Here/There in the blink of an eye?" Suddenly, he dropped to his hands and knees, and vomited.

Clavis jumped back, as the spatter of vomit came close to his boots. He cringed at the mess. It must have been the last remnants of what Raye had eaten before he died—projected in a spiritual sub-context form.

Raye Penber wiped his mouth. "You weren't kidding about the nausea, my stomach is churning like…" He vomited again.  
"How are you, Castra?" Clavis asked, after watching Raye.

"No issues here, it must only be Penber, since he's the only human," she said. "Our constitutions are obviously different and can handle cosmic travel."

Clavis nodded. Then he looked around and was surprised at where they were. They had landed in the middle of what appeared to be a school courtyard with a church nearby surrounded by grass fields.

He looked to Castra, she was the time era expert.

Castra reached into her shoulder bag and took out her tablet. She brought up some statistical data, identifying location coordinates. "We're not where we need to be, Clavis," she said. "We appear to be in Winchester, England, the United Kingdom, half way across the planet from Japan," —she gave coordinates — "and the time coordinates are off, too. It's one year later than when projected."

Clavis conformed her information on the watch. But why? This was not the place, not the time he had programmed. But then he thought about it. If time was altered, as Castra had claimed in Quindecim, then so were the coordinates he had programmed into the watch. Even with the points, he forgot to take into effect tectonic plate and axel relations to time variance. So when time was altered, so were positional/time coordinates.

It was subtle, most humans would not even notice it, oblivious as most humans were to far outreaching things outside their created pocket universe. But it had thrown them off-course.

"But I reviewed the timeline before we left," Castra stated.

"That little Imp, Morph!" Clavis said, clenching his jaw. "The moment he resurrected Light Yagami, it must have caused everything to go out of whack. But why did we end up here of all places? Where are we?"

"Out of whack?" Raye spoke up, wiping his mouth again.

Feeling a little better, Raye Penber then stood. He found, then pointed to a sign.

They all looked at a half-moon sign that was situated over the main entrance fence of the property that lead into the courtyard. Underneath was another square sign with a description:

" _Wammy House — an orphanage and school for gifted children._ "

_To be continued..._


	12. The Return Of The Greatest Detective

Raye eyed the sign. "Why is this familiar?" He said it to himself.

Castra went to scroll in her tablet, as if to get some more information.

Raye then snapped his fingers in recollection. "Yes, now I remember," he said excitedly. "Naomi told me about this place. She said L once told her a story in secret while she was working with him on the BB Murder Case in Los Angeles, California, to garner her confidence. She said L attended an orphanage for gifted children in the United Kingdom. She was an excellent detective for the FBI, so she conducted some research of her own, and learned more about this place: _Wammy House_. She also said she had a working knowledge of the possible identity of L."

He looked around further.

"Yes," he concluded. "And the description fits from what she told me. There are no pictures on the internet, but she was able to get a friend to send her a photograph someone once took, which I never saw. Unfortunately, then the Kira Case came up, and nothing more was said about it."

Castra then revealed some further background information she managed to find from Quindecim records. When she was finished, they all had a better understanding of its importance. _Wammy House_ was one of several orphanages established by man named: Quillsh Wammy. This particular orphanage was located in Winchester, England, and was initially designed to house exceptionally gifted children. Qullish Wammy was owner of so many patents to products that he could afford his projects with a mere penitence of his large wealth.

"And everyone here uses fake names to protect themselves," Castra then stated. "Or, used to, against Kira."

"That's actually quite smart," Raye said, "considering the advent of Kira, and L's connection to this place."

"His real name is…"

Just then, a small, brown-haired boy came out from behind a slide set in a near-by children's park area. Had he been hiding, or had he been there all along? Had he seen their sudden appearance and heard them talking? He was four feet tall, give or take a few inches, and was well dressed in light brown trousers, brown lofters, a white dress shirt, wearing a checkered, sleeveless vest. Age-wise, he may have been between seven and eight years old.

Neither of the trio knew what do or say as the boy looked at them.

"Are you monsters?" the little boy spoke up. He didn't appear frightened. "He's normal looking," —the boy pointed at Raye— "but you two are very different."

Clavis and Castra looked at each other, they were indeed the odd people out.

Clavis then crouched down slowly, lowering to the boy's height. "Come here, kid. Don't worry, I won't bite." The boy didn't approach, staying near the slide set. Clavis looked up at Castra, but then back again. "No, kid," Clavis smiled, "we're not monsters, and far from it. In fact, we're actually here to hunt one down. Can you take us to the facilitator of this school. And to clarify, he is not the monster. Can you tell me his or her name?"

"It's not a secret," the boy replied. "His name is Roger Ruvie, but we all just call him Roger. He manages Wammy House, solely now, ever since its founder died. We all called him Watari, but that wasn't his real name."

"We know, it was Qullish Wammy, and we found his obituary," Clavis said sombrely. That was a lie. He hadn't read it. All Clavis basically knew about the man was he founded the orphanages.

Castra put a hand on Clavis's shoulder. It was a way to inaudibly say to use a different approach. Kids needed reassurance and trust before they began forfeiting information.

"You are a very well spoken, young man," Clavis went on to say. "Please, lead the way."

The boy shook his head and then folded his arms across his front. "What if you're here to cause mischief or violence? I don't trust you. Besides, you look like a villain from a comic I read. He has green hair, too."

Raye Penber snickered. "Trust me, kid. Clavis is no Joker, at least, not in the literal sense. But he's no Batman."

Clavis asked who that was and Raye said he would tell him later. Raye then took over for Clavis. Maybe a human approach was needed. They were in the Human World, after all.

Clavis stood up, and stepped away to allow Raye to try. Raye didn't crouch, he stood tall and confident. This apparently coaxed the boy out of his hiding spot. Raye had dealt with a few kids in his time, and crouching in front of them showed weakness. One had to be strong. Boy's related bettered to a strong, fatherly figure.

The boy came to him, and looked up. "You're very tall, Mister," he said. "My name is Jayden, or that's what I'm called here. That's not my real name; we don't use our real names for fear of reprisal."

Raye understood the meaning behind the kid's words, but he let the slip in truth lapse. Obviously, telling a bunch of strangers something like that should not have been divulged. "My name is Raye Penber, that's Ray with an 'e'. It's a weird spelling, but that's how my parents wrote it. I'm American, and a former FBI agent. Now I'm working with these two. The green hair fellow is Clavis, and the beautiful, brown skinned woman is named Castra."

Jayden looked at Castra. "She's pretty," he remarked.

"She is indeed, you have good taste," Raye said, and Jayden smiled.

Jayden cocked his head slightly. He looked Raye up and down. Raye had decided to dress in all blacks with a dark trench-coat, it was a fallback to his days with the FBI.

"The FBI: the American Federal Bureau of Investigation," Jayden stated. "L partnered with them on a couple of cases, the latest being in Japan. L was a wonderful detective, but after the Kira Case he started to doubt himself. Then something happened, and he died. They say he had a heart attack."

Raye was careful in what he said next. "So, Jayden, what do you know about the Kira Case?"

"Not much, Near doesn't talk to us about it. He likes his games and puzzles, and keeps a lot to himself. Only, he did say Kira suddenly came back after a year's absence. Now he has disappeared again. It was a very short stint of killing, Near said. Nothing like the previous Kira. This was one an imposer, he said."

Raye looked at Clavis and Castra. This new Kira could not have been Light Yagami, as he was in Quindecim.

Suddenly, a black cat, with green eyes and a bandage around his right front leg, came bolting out from the main doorway. The door was slightly ajar. The cat was instantly recognized as the feline that helped Ginti with his judgements in Quindecim.

"Memine," Clavis said. "You're here already?"

Memine meowed a yes, and then went to Jayden. Jayden picked him up, Memine allowing him to do so. Normally Ginti's cat avoided pretty much everyone, but here, he was being very playful with Jayden, as if to garner trust.

Jayden smiled, and laughed, as Memine rubbed his face all over Jayden's chin; the boy holding him. Then Jayden fell down on his butt. Obviously Memine was slightly heavier than Jayden could handle, or Jayden was holding the cat at an angle that caused him to tip over.  
Jayden laughed again despite the fall. There was just something about animals that made kids open up.

Perhaps Memine knew this and had come to help them?

Memine jumped out of Jayden's grip and then sat down proper and started to lick his paws.

"Memine, is Ginti here with you?" Clavis spoke.

Jayden got to his feet, and then began to pet Memine. The cat let him, as he continued to lick his paws.

The boy smiled, and said: "Memine came here with his owner. I think you said his name right. He said his name was Ginti…with an 'i'. He's a very tall and thin man, and he has red, fiery hair. He also brought someone with him who looks like L, but L is dead, so it can't be him. I never take anything at face value. I only saw them once. I never asked a lot of questions. They told me more people would be coming, so I stayed here. And then, you came, appearing out of thin-air, like they did. They said, if you did come, to tell them you were here."

"But you interrogated us before hand, smart kid," Raye said.

"If Memine knows you, then you're not a threat. I trust this cat."

"He's a little ornery where we come from, but to each his own," Clavis put in. "Can you take us to Ginti?"

"First, show me what you have in your bags," Jayden said. "If you have anything like a weapon, you stay here."

They did so, without reservation, spreading everything out on the ground. Jayden picked up Castra's tablet, but it was password protected, so he couldn't get in.

He handed it to Castra with a boyish smile, blushing a little. The boy obviously liked her.

Clavis smiled, when Castra looked at him.

"Okay," Jayden said. "You can come inside now. Follow me when you're ready."

Once they had gathered their stuff together, they followed Jayden through the main doors of the school, and into a foray. Jayden then lead the party down a long hallway that contained classrooms of varying grades. One door was slightly opened, and Castra peaked in. The door was situated at the back of the classroom, no one would see her.

The teacher was educating students no older than Jayden. They were being taught quadratic equations that even some college students would have difficulty with. But these kids, of all nationalities, breezed through them, as if they were mere addition and subtraction pre-school questions.

Suddenly, one boy saw her, and his eyes bulged. Castra put a finger to her mouth to hush him from saying anything, then she left.  
They travelled down the same hallway to a set of double doors that needed a digital code to unlock. Once the code was put in, they automatically opened under electrical power. There was a connecting hallway to the main offices and to the church. Clavis took notice of the code and remembered it, as they entered.

Jayden led them to an administrative, wooden office door. He knocked, announced himself, and then said: "The others have arrived."  
An older sounding male voice addressed him and then told him that he and the others could come in.

Almost immediately when the door was open to the office, the trio were greeted to a beautiful and heartwarming sight. The young man known as Near, whose real name was Nate River, was hugging the man known in his profile as L with such emotion that it looked like a scene from a movie that portrayed a brother's long lost reunion. Nate River had his arms wrapped around L so tightly that L couldn't move. Tears in his eyes.

L had his hand on Nate River's hair and patted his head gently. L was taller than Nate. He wore casual clothes: blue jeans and a white long sleeve shirt, and he had thick, dark hair.

"Now, now, Nate," L said. "No need to cry."

"But I missed you so much, Louis," Nate said, saying his real name.

"I've known you to be more reserved, Nate. More hard-nose. But I suppose I can understand the reasoning behind this outburst of emotion. I did die after all. But, thanks to a loophole, I was able to come back."

The "loophole" Clavis had learned, when he and Castra spoke to Oculus in the corridor, was that Louis Lawliet had actually written in the Death Note. Even a small mark would be like writing a full name. And as per the rules, he could neither go to Heaven or Hell as a result, and that also meant Reincarnation or the Void.

He arrived at Quindecim years before Light Yagami, and after his awakening, was assigned to Analytical Sciences. He actually helped create a faster processor for the Arbiter's to get their information for them to judge. According to Oculus, Louis Lawliet was instrumental in helping Quindecim run more efficiently.

Even though his body was buried and had decomposed years previously, it was reconstituted and revived. It was a much different process of re-birth than Light Yagami simply going back into the past to reclaim his life. And this was why special permissions and provisions were needed, because it went against the very law of physics. To simply resurrect a person when everyone thought they were dead, cast the very essence of death into doubt.

Both Louis Lawliet and Light Yagami were back amongst the living, now flesh and blood.

Clavis suddenly thought of the old adage of eternal rivals, that even in death, their desire would drive them to chase the other forever. Now, here again, they would be able to begin their rivalry anew.

Ginti was standing off to the side wearing his Arbiter's bartender's uniform. He didn't even bother to change. Next to him was an older gentleman with thinning hair, with glasses, and who stood like he was suffering from a bout of arthritis, hunched over slightly, his arms behind his back, clasping his hands together, as if to give balance.

As they were gathering up their stuff in the courtyard, Jayden had described Roger. Clavis positively identified Roger Ruvie for how Jayden described him.

L turned his head. "Oh, hello," he said, greeting them.

Nate also turned his head, then quickly unlocked his arms from around L, wiping his eyes with a long shirt sleeve. Nate was the kind of person who wore clothes twice his size and he preferred beige-white. He then whipped his head around, facing opposite, wiping his face fully, obviously embarrassed by his emotion.

"Forgive us, we didn't mean to interrupt," Clavis said.

L waved it off, and produced a smile. "Nonsense, this is a celebration," he said. "We were just catching up."

"Hardly," Nate turned around. He suddenly had a hard stare.

"Come now, Nate." L ruffled the boy's hair. "All appears to have gone well in my absence. Light Yagami was caught and punished. I knew he was Kira from the very start. My deductions are _never_ wrong. He was sent to Hell to suffer forever in damnation. Or, so I thought when told otherwise."

L looked to Ginti. Memine hoped up onto Roger Ruvie's desk next to Roger himself.

"Yeah, well, _hell_ …" the fiery-haired Arbiter said. "Things have a way of unhinging themselves when a Death Note falls into the picture."  
"You told them everything, right? Ginti?" Clavis inquired.

Ginti, in his straight-forward, no non-sense fashion, said he had explained everything to L before they left for the Human World; Oculus told him it was authorized. He had been taken aside where he worked in Analytical Sciences and explained everything. Told that he was needed to hunt down Light Yagami and Yagami was to be brought back to Quindecim for punishment. If Light Yagami could be brought back, he would be sent to The Void, no questions.

In order to gain the trust of the others present, they were also told the fantastic story. But for those who knew of the Death Note, they didn't have a difficult time believing in L's tale or Quindecim. Up until five years ago, the Shinigami Realm or the Death Note would have been left to something written in the pages of a manga.

Jayden suddenly ran to L and hugged him. L let off a small huff from the impact. "It is you! It is you! How is this possible? I didn't believe it at first. I thought you were an imposter?"

Roger spoke up, stepping forward. "Nate, here, just arrived for a sudden visit. His police chaperone is elsewhere, conducting some other business. No one was expecting him. When your friend Ginti arrived in his butler's attire—"

Ginti grumbled. "I'm a bartender, not a butler. I work on floor Twenty as an Arbiter, in a place called Quindecim. I judge the souls of the dead and sentence them accordingly." Ginti was harsh. He was never one to midst words. If he had something to say, he always spoke his mind. "Incidentally, if I were a butler, I would ask for the highest going rate to clean this place." He wiped a finger on the desk, then wiped it on his pants. "It needs one."

Memine meowed in agreement, and then sneezed, as if a spec of dust got up the cat's nose.

Jayden broken the hug and frowned at Ginti. "You're a very mean man!" Then stuck out his tongue.

Ginti looked dumbfounded. "Why you little brat!" He rolled up his sleeves. "I'm not opposed to whipping your ass!"

"Ginti!" Castra scolded him.

Ginti snorted out frustration. "Oh, forget this!" he said sternly. "I did what I was told to do. Memine, let's go!" The cat leapt into Ginti's arms. And then, as if like a magician, Ginti and Memine vanished.

"How rude!" Jayden said. "But how did he vanish like that? Where did he go?" The boy looked around.

"He's always like that," Castra explained. "Don't worry, he'll get his up-comings later, believe me. But, if I told you how he disappeared, young boy, your head would spin."

Roger then said, "Jayden, would you please excuse us? We adults need to talk. But don't tell anyone about this. We can't have anyone else knowing Louis is alive, not yet. It would cause disruption in the student's learning."

"Aww, but I want stay here with L. I want to listen, too."

Castra crouched down, coming face-to-face with Jayden. She knew the boy liked her, even if he didn't know how to express his feelings yet. She gave him a big smile. "Tell you what, little man. You do this one favour, and I'll give you something special to play with. But just for a little while." She reached into her bag and pulled out a small black Orb. "You can see anything in it. All you have to do is think of something and you can see it."

He cocked his head curiously for a moment in disbelief when she handed it to him.

He cupped it in both hands, it wasn't heavy. It had all the appearance of a mini bowling ball. He was about to hand it back, saying it was a cheap way for her to get rid of him—when he looked into it. Mist began to form from within the ball. Whatever he had been thinking of at that very moment suddenly appeared on its surface, and it wasn't just a static picture, but it was moving just like a miniature television set.

"Oh, wonderful!" Jayden smiled. Then he left the office, but promised to bring it back.

Castra stood up, faced the others.

"Was that wise, Castra?" Clavis asked. "That's one of the Shinigami's _Probable Orbs_ that we had in storage to see celestial events. I'd figure you'd bring one to help us find Light Yagami. But what if it breaks?"

Castra waved off his concerns. "You worry too much, Clavis. I believe we can trust the boy."

"Yes, well, hopefully we can now get down to business," L then said. Then he pointed at Raye. "I know you…Yes, you're Penber, the FBI agent who was on the train; killed by Kira by a heart attack. The amount of time I spent looking over the recordings of your death was tedious. Nice to meet you alive and in person."

Raye shook hands with L and said it was nice to met him as well. "I only knew you by a voice," he said.

Raye then told him what had happened on the train, to fill in missing gaps that the CCTV of the train station could not capture, and how he was forced to write the names of all his fellow agents onto pages of the Death Note, he later learned, which also caused his own death. And because of a certain rule, he found himself in Quindecim.

"I never officially wrote down a person's name, but I did make a tiny mark on the back page of a Death Note to test what may happen," L explained. "I never told anyone. Unfortunately, by that act alone, I actually used the Death Note, and was sent to Quindecim, as well. I was fascinated to learn that such a place existed beyond the human religious notion of Heaven and Hell. Quindecim is a world between worlds. Quite fantastic!"

"What did you do when you found out Light Yagami was in Quindecim?"

"I was never told until recently, probably for the same reason you were never told. I would want revenge for killing me. However, that is neither here nor there. We're both alive again, and we're here to track down Light Yagami, wherever he is now. We must also begin to hunt down his associates to determine where he may be."

"Misa Amane is dead," Nate then stepped into the conversion. "We just learned about it. She was, until recently, a member of a religious Christian group. She suffered from deep depression after Light Yagami's death, and committed suicide. She jumped out of her third floor bedroom window using a bed sheet as a noose. Her neck snapped instantly. We can eliminate her from our list of associates."

L nodded, and thanked him. "Let's all talk, I need to get caught on recent events," L said. "And only through thorough investigation and gumshoeing will the worse serial killer in Human history be caught!"

_To be continued..._


	13. Moon God

Two hours later, after an exhausting and thorough roundtable with all parties involved, all leads to Light Yagami's current location ended flat.

Nate River said that he had had an encounter a fourth Kira after Light Yagami died, but it was a short stint and it only yielded a handful of bodies. In the end, the killings stopped quickly. He wasn't sure why. As long as the killings stopped, that's all he cared about. He assumed something happened to the fake Kira, like some moral conscious dilemma, because it ended so abruptly without proper closure.

And as for any of Light Yagami's allies, still living, none could be defined. All past associates were dead, either by the Death Note or of their own design.

Basically, they had to start over.

Light Yagami was staying in the shadows, and one year had passed since his escape from Quindecim.

Why Clavis and his party had arrived one year later than their original destination was still unexplained. Yet Ginti had purposely brought L to this moment in time. The only thing that they knew was Morph had been involved. All agreed that he was using his powers to somehow mask Light Yagami from detection.

They had moved to a lounge area when they began to talk and had sat down on some couches and chairs that were on the other side of Roger Ruvie's office. L sat in his unusual fashion of crouching while sitting. He said if he didn't, his deductive reasoning would suffer. It was one of many quirks he had.

Nate Rivers sat beside him, one leg up and folded into his chest. It one of his own quirks while sitting and it helped him to concentrate. He was seventeen years old, almost eighteen, but when sitting next to L, he felt much younger. His admiration showing like a kid and his father.

Nate had come with a member of the former SPK (Special Provision for Kira) and had been was dropped off, he was to be picked up in a couple of hours.

On the far wall, a widescreen television was switched on, but muted. It showed a news channel, with a stock market index ticker scrolling across the bottom strip of the screen.

Throughout the two hours, L had looked over at it several times, seemingly watching the stocks. Not because he was looking for good tips—although when Watari was alive, he had a talent for picking the best stocks to invest in to earn extra money for his string of orphanages—but L kept seeing a particular company name, and it intrigued him. Its stock kept rising, as well.

L's eyes were tired, and he rubbed them with two fingers. Around the room were crumpled up pieces of papers with theories and ideas everyone presented on what had occurred both in the Human World and in Quindecim, past and present, brining everyone up to speed with the Kira Case and recent events.

"Okay, let's start again," L said. "I often had to re-start when pieces of a case refused to fit together like a puzzle, being too many abnormalities. The Kira Case being one of the more bizarre and abnormal cases I ever worked on, and for good reason. Ironically, after everything that has occurred, and from what Nate has told me, I can't believe I missed so much of the action with Kira. I may be losing my touch. But dying could have had a role in that."

He smirked, but the inside joke that Kira had killed him, however, didn't go over well in the room.

"Light Yagami was given a supernatural book that killed people," Nate said seriously. "Logically, that would confound anyone who was educated in analytical thinking. It wasn't your fault."

"I appreciate your sentiments, Nate, but I should have caught Kira sooner. I had my suppositions, and I conjectured hypotheses and formed sound conclusions on theoretical information before. But we know none would hold up in a court of law. You need concrete evidence to convict a person, not fantasy stories like that conjured up in a manga."

"Who would have thought the Death Note's existed?" Raye Penber put in.

"Good point," L replied. "We defeated Kira once, but now we have to do it again. This time, however, the stakes are higher, because a supernatural being with unknown abilities is involved, and he has allied himself with Light Yagami." L cocked his head. "Wait, something just occurred to me. Are all of Light Yagami's associates dead?"

Nate named them off.

"One is missing: A childhood friend of Light Yagami. I believe his name is Demetre Draycott? I spoke to him once when he witnessed Misa Amane's kidnapping at Light Yagami's university."

"Yes," Nate said. "I met him briefly after an encounter with _The League of Darkness_." During the two hour session, the League of Darkness and the Savant Society were discussed. "He and his girlfriend, Dana, I believe her name was, had gotten involved in those events. I don't know if he was in possession of a Death Note."

"Let's play to the notion, if others had Death Note's, he also possessed one," L said.

Nate nodded. "If he was involved in _The League of Darkness Affair_ , then that is prudent reasoning."

"But he hated Kira, from what I could recall," L said. "Kira murdered his grandfather. But things could have changed, and we don't know how involved he was with everything. The profile I designed on Demetre Draycott was he shared an intelligence similar to Light Yagami, very smart. Let's try and locate him. He may not be involved here, but we can question him, nonetheless. On another note, tell me what happened directly after Light Yagami died."

"His body was found in the warehouse district," Nate said. "The EMT's who examined his body determined he had suffered a massive heart attack which would fit the cause-and-effect of having his name written in a Death Note. But it was later assumed being shot caused a shock reflection that caused the heart attack. His body was taken to a medical facility. Unfortunately, a doctor immediately autopsied his organs for transplant, according to his will. And his brain was removed and given to a medical science facility for study before a thorough police investigation could be conducted. I was told that timing of the organs' transplants were crucial. His eyes ere even removed."

"But he did suffer a heart attack, correct?" L asked, re-confirming.

Nate nodded. "That was confirmed when his heart was examined. However, I was unable to examine the remainder of the body. I did confirm the deceased was Light Yagami in the warehouse, but I was too late to see his body afterwards. Yet, his body—the remainder—was cremated at Detective Touta Matsuda's request and agreed upon by Light Yagami's family. Matsuda told Yagami's mother that her son was caught in an ambush by Yukaza gang members. They wanted revenge for Light's part in the murder of their leader, Terrance Claw, leader of the Dragon Sect, a secret investigation Light got involved with by chance. Police records can be found on the case. This incident took place within Kira's five year reign of terror and before I got involved."

"I would like to see those records," L stated.

"They can be provided."

Clavis had been sitting quietly listening to everything. He put up a hand. "May I interject?" L and Nate looked at him. "What if the body wasn't his? What if the doctor transplanted the organs of another person instead of Yagami's? What I'm saying is, our readings indicate that Light Yagami travelled back in time to one year prior our original destination. None of the events that took place at the warehouse were changed. What if his death was?"

"Are you saying he woke up in the morgue and switched bodies with someone?" L wondered. "To do something like that would take some ingenious work. And the doctor would need to have been paid off to fake records and to say the body he autopsied was indeed Light Yagami's. That would explain why the body was discarded so quickly." L turned to Nate. "This warrants merit. Where was his body taken when found? What medical facility?"

Nate told L. Then: "The morgue closed six months ago for illicit practises, and the main medical practitioner had his licence revoked for selling organs on the black market. He committed suicide soon afterwards."

"Light Yagami covering his tracks, no doubt," L mused. Then cocked his head, thinking. "First Misa Amane, then this doctor…Light Yagami obviously wanted all loose ends to be tied up…"

L looked at the television again. The name of the company that interested him scrolled across the ticker again. He turned back to the others. "Did Light Yagami have any added attributes that I was not privy to? Such as, let's say, marketing and economics? I don't remember seeing anything of the like on his school transcripts."

Nate said, "When interviewed afterwards, Light Yagami's defence trainer at the police academy mentioned Yagami had a hidden talent in using a bo-staff and escrima sticks. He was extremely flexible and nimble, but that's all."

"That doesn't help us much. I'm looking for anything that would surprise us, like he had a hidden talent to, say, draw—like one such young man I was pitted against. Sometimes, a person can have a hidden talent that goes unnoticed by others. Light Yagami is extremely smart, borderline genius. He may tap his vast intelligence for another use now. Something that we are currently overlooking, and something just under our noses…"

L looked up at the television again.

"Um, may I ask a question?" Clavis interjected. He looked at the television, then back at L. L looked at Clavis. "Why do you keep looking at the television? Is this boring for you? We're trying to hunt down a serial killer who escaped a realm that prides itself on its stringent judgement of souls. What has you so fascinated?"

"Forgive me, but something caught my eye. I don't know why it intrigues me so. Something in the back of my mind tells me it's important." He pointed at the ticker on the bottom of the screen. The news broadcaster was reciting a story about sports with the stock market index ticker scrolling across beneath. "There! Do you see it? The Tsuku-Yomi Corporation. I've never heard of it before. Watari was very familiar with all the large companies, and paid close attention to the market aptly. They appear to be very big; their performance high. Tell me about it."

"It's a business conglomerate and consultant corporation with multi-lateral firms and enterprises," Nate said. "They seemed to have come out of no-where but with massive influence. I'm familiar with them, because they purchased the building that was once used as the Kira de-facto headquarters in the Kanto Region of Japan. The building was just sitting empty after the Kira Affair and was becoming a money-pit. So, it was decided to sell it off. It is now the main Tsuku-Yoki Corporate Headquarters. But they have other citadels all around the world."

"Interesting choice of words, Nate…Citadel. As if to build a structure to stake your claim to a conquered land. And—as if I already didn't know where this was going—who is the name of the owner of the Tsuku-Yomi Corporation?"

Castra looked on her tablet, engaging with the school's internet. "His name is Shinto Izanagi," she said.

"Quite revealing," L said, almost introspectively. "And extremely clever, even for him."

Nate asked L why.

L began: "The word: Tsukuyomi is translated as 'Moon God' in Japanese mythology with its common honorific suffix 'no-mikoto'. It means: 'the grand, the great, the exalted'. Kira believed he was a god most high, and above the masses when he was using the Death Note. Tsukuyomi is also used in the Shinto religion and is an indigenous faith that is as old as Japan itself and it is said to have created the islands of Japan. As for the owner's name: 'Shinto', it means: 'The way of the gods'—Kira's way, and no one else's. And last: 'Izanagi', loosely translated means: a 'man-who-invites'. Kira invites death wherever he goes. In Japanese lore, Izanagi was the husband of another god who lived in the Heavens. If you take all this into account, and Light Yagami's kanji—how he spells his name—you'll see 'Yagami' is written with the kanji 'night' or 'god'. And his first name can be written with the kanji for 'moon'."

"Oh, c'mon, L," Raye said in disbelief. "Isn't that a bit of a reach? That would mean…"

"There's too many red flags going off in my mind for it to be a coincidence. I want to investigate the Tsuku-Yomi Corporation for any connection to Light Yagami. I want everything you can find on this Shinto Izanagi, as well."

"There's very little on the internet about him," Castra stated, scrolling through her tablet. "It states he's a very recluse man and stays much out of the public eye. But when he does come out, he has an interesting idiosyncrasy: he always wears a red face mask. He says he is was badly scarred when a rival threw acid in his face. His right hand man mainly handles all business transactions, including personal affairs, and even speaks on authority for Shinto Izanagi. But I can't believe, and if it is him, that Light Yagami could amass such a great deal of wealth and business collateral in such a short time, say a year's time. It can't be done. It takes a lifetime to build up such a company."

"Unless you have a god's influence aiding your ventures," L remarked. "This Shinto Izanagi gets more interesting by the moment. The entire 'mysterious character' persona, however, is almost a bit too cliche." He turned to Clavis. "Clavis, this being you mentioned during our earlier talk session—Morph? What sort of powers does he possess?"

Clavis shrugged. "You name it, Morph has them," he said. "He even has the ability to alter time. So, my thinking is, we may have been thrust one year into the future from our projected course because of something he did in the past. We originally wanted to observe what happened in the warehouse where Light Yagami was shot. And if the events were altered, we would have intervened to correct things. But we found ourselves outside in the courtyard of Wammy House instead."

"Like a magnetic beacon to you, L," Castra than added. "Most likely because our original time pinpoint no longer existed, so it brought us here as a secondary point."

"That's sound thinking on your part," L mused. "Knowing Light Yagami, he may have had asked for things to be altered. Or this Morph purposely allowed things to play out as they did, made the switch in the morgue, revived him there after Light Yagami used the device he secretly acquired in Quindecim from the Shinigami, Ryuk, disguised as a Special Arbiter, and then fled the morgue, probably in a disguise in medical garb. Unfortunately, with that morgue now closed down, we can't see the video footage to verify this theory."  
A groan of discontent suddenly came from Roger Ruvie, the facilitator of Wammy House, and everyone looked at him. He had been quiet for most of the discussion, merely listening. But now he spoke up. "You can't just waltz right in and hope to hell to get an interview with the CEO of a major business conglomerate" he said gruffly. "It just isn't done. There are channels you have cross, favours you have make, wheels you need to grease."

"What do you suggest then?" Nate asked.

"We appeal to Shinto Izanagi's very nature: his vainness. And yes, even under that mask of his, I know he is a proud man." Roger looked at everyone. "Give him an incentive to see us. Something he can't refuse. Give me a few days, and I'll work a little magic. Qullish wasn't the only one who had influence in shadowy places."

L nodded. "Agreed. Besides, it will give me a little time to orientate myself back amongst the living." L paused. "One more thing," he said, as an afterthought. "That young by who hugged me. He appeared to know me, but I don't ever remember seeing him before. I have an eidetic memory. Is he new here?"

Near gave a look to Roger, then looked back to L. "You were the one who brought him to this orphanage after his parents died. He was only three and half years old at the time. It's been five years since then. You said he became an orphan after Kira killed his parents with heart attacks. It was after the Jasper Yuta Case."

Clavis and Castra looked at each other. L noticed their shared glance.

"Am I missing something?" L asked.

"I wouldn't be too concerned about it, but it's not uncommon for those who have spend a prolonged period dead, for lack of a better phrase, for some memories to be lost or to deteriorate," Clavis explained.

"Jayden is an alias, much like everyone else here to protect them from Kira," Roger said. "His real name is Braydon Rise. He is the son of Matt Rise and Crystal Rise, or as you knew them better as Tristan and Isolde—friend's of Jasper Yuta. He's very smart, but a bit of a loner. And he pines for his parents a lot."

"Ah yes, now I recall," L said, quickly recalling the events of the Jasper Yuta Case. "He has his mother's eyes."

_To be continued..._


	14. The Voice From The Grave

Dressed to suit, Light Yagami was flipped over on his back onto a rubber exercise mat by Demetre. They were both engaged in self-defensive martial arts exercises, for which Demetre was an expert through many years of practise. After a tiresome workout session, Light had had enough, and lay flat on the floor.

He breathed hard, and his heart beat quickly. His hair was drenched and his body glistened with sweat.

Demetre panted, looking similar, but stood tall, his karate Gi dishevelled. His chain and crucifix dangling between his chiseled pecs. In fact, Light had once mentioned that his friend had a body like ancient greek statue.

"You're getting better, Light," Demetre said. He extended a hand to Light. Light took it and was hauled to his feet. "Your police foundations courses taught you a lot, but you need more work. They taught you how to overcome an assailant and tackle him. But martial arts teaches you so much more and harmonies your mind, body, and soul. You can use it to subdue your enemy, but it is best to use your opponent's greatest strength against him."

Light straightened his black karate Gi and belt. "How did you get so good at this stuff, Demmy?"

"Self-taught and I stay in shape, exercising an hour a day. I also use the Bruce Lee method, no weights required. I glide my muscles to tone them. Being a vegetation also helps. Fatty meats have a way of making the body sluggish. You've toned down since we've begun these sessions, but as for your defensive tactics, you continue to fall back on your police training. It's bad form. Forget it all, and let me teach you properly."

Light nodded. "Yes, ol' wise and powerful sage," he said humorously. Light slicked back his wet hair. "I'm glad I took your advise and built this private gym on the penthouse floor of Tsuku-Yoki Tower. It makes things a lot easier. I have everything I need in this building. The house that L built, but that I re-built." Light laughed.

Demetre smirked. "When you first thought of purchasing this building, I thought you were crazy. It was L's de facto headquarters, and it was a lot of money. I knew how symbolic it meant to you, but to have the Tsuku-Yoki corporate main headquarters here in Japan, of all places, was taking a risk, especially with Near. Luckily, everything went off without a hitch, and you paid cash: Seven hundred and fifty-million, in fact, and quite a lot of money."

Light waved off the cost as it was mere pocket change.

The gym was housed in a room adjacent to Light's private office, which encompassed two-thirds of the penthouse floor. When he bought the building, he immediately began redesigning it, and included his own floor, with amenities that suited his needs. Most recently, he had built up a reputation as being the leading business tycoon Shinto Izanagi, CEO of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, with its main headquarters in Japan, and he wanted things his way.

He had purchased everything, and built up his business with earnings from stocks Morph helped him accumulate over the past fives years in secret, using information taken from the future.

Morph, able to travel back in time, made additional contact with him after the Yukaza Incident, and explained to him that he needed to invest in bonds and other diversification portfolios, and form associations with powerful people.

So, in the five years Kira was most active, he did exactly that, secretly, as his alias, for which he now used. Although Shinto Izanagi was rarely seen and only wore a red face mask when in public.

Demetre was his right hand man and he did most of the business associative stuff. Rumour had it on line that Mr. Shinto Izanagi was an older man who preferred to remain hidden and was afraid to show his face, self-conscious of his face scarring. It was a reasonable excuse and Light let it play out. Besides, it went well with his new persona.

If Near or any former Kira task force members saw Light, then that would create problems.

But Light didn't need to go anywhere. He had everything he needed in Tsuku-Yoki Tower, including a luxurious apartment adjacent his private office that had a beautiful birds-eye view of the Kanto cityscape, with its tinted and bullet proof windows, and adorn with some of the most expensive furnishings someone in his position would want.

The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation employed very few workers, but was a prideful business conglomerate with a reputation for excellence. And, being a man of such worth and power, he employed a few special people as protectors. Over the past year, his weaponized Death Note had come in very hardly in quite a few unique situations. And he had built a coalition of powerful people who served him under the new influence of his new Death Note—the _Alpha Guard_.

Light grabbed a towel from a hook on the wall and began to dry his hair. He tossed another to Demetre. He then asked how his business was going, and Demetre responded it was going very well.

The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation was a main distributor of high-tech goods. The genius of the business Light built was, his business made zero product but used itself as an arbitrator to become the top-marketer for everything that dealt with software and hardware systems. Being a go-between made him a lot of money without the expense.

Some would say his was shell corporation that used other businesses under an umbrella stamp, making them to do all the hard work, while generating substantial profits at a high rate of return for him with every transaction. But money was money, and even a little accumulated capital turned into a lot when it continuously flowed.

The more those businesses succeeded, the more revenue his company generated.

Light had options in every one of the businesses he arbitrated.

So, when their stocks went up, he made money. If they did poorly, at any given time, and the markets did fluctuate, and they did from time to time, especially if a leader of a country engaged in trade wars with another and evoked tariffs on imports, he made sure his stocks remained neutral, using stabilizing bids, until the markets corrected.

The Tsuku-Yoki Corporation had countless locations around the world: Europe, the United Kingdom, Russia, and even China, with multi-billion dollar dealings. Less so in America, and he had yet to branch out in Canada.

Demetre picked up a computer tablet that he had placed on the floor near the door before they began their session and tapped on the screen. He checked his itinerary. And as he dried the back of his hair, with a thumb, he scrolled.

"This month is full for me," he said. "And I have to meet with a representative from Huawei next week, so we can start distribution talks. They'll be a huge client for us. I'm still amazed that you managed to build up this business in such a short time, while also acting as Kira. You were busy, Light. And I never knew you were so business savvy."

"Self-taught," Light smiled. "As soon as Morph told me what stocks to invest in five years ago—suggesting that I do so and to hide any money in secret offshore accounts—I began to dwell deep into self-help and tutorials. But I do my best trading online and from the safety of this building. It's funny, when I first found the Death Note and began using it, I frowned at people like myself. Rich people were living easy lives while so many struggled. Now, I have a different perspective. I can do a lot more good with my new found wealth and knowledge, than a police detective."

Demetre smirked. "You were reborn a little over a year ago, and you've done so much since then. You should be commended. I find it curious, however, that you haven't done much with the Death Note, other than collected a few human trophies with your new found abilities to do your bidding."

Light smirked. "I have to admit, the mouth guards were a bit of a gamble, and I wasn't sure how they were going to be utilized, but once I learned, with minimal difficulty, they've served my purpose well."

Just then, a computer screen embedded into the wall beeped with a message of an incoming call. It was part of a private internal system. Only a few had access to the channel. He tapped the screen, and suddenly a young face with black hair wrapped in a pigtail was plastered in full view.

"Mr. Izanagi, Hiro here," the young man said, "for your massage. You asked for one at one o'clock."

Hiro had been _Prime Assistant_ to the Mistress of a Torture Den at the heart of the Dragon Sect of the Yukaza that Light took down during the Yukaza Incident.

With a slight altercation to events, thanks to Morph, Hiro had survived his brush with death against Terrance Claw's enforcer Nazareth. With a mere addition to the Death Note entry he wrote to kill Nazareth—by adding the word "now!"— Hiro was spared a broken neck and an immediate death. Nazareth was the one who was subjected to an immediate death instead. Back then, Light knew him solely as Riki. But Hiro Yamamoto was his real name.

Unfortunately, after he was freed from the Yukaza, Hiro's only known relatives, his grandparents, disowned him, after they learned what he had been doing over the years. It had not been his fault. He had been kidnapped at seven years old and forced into the sex trade. Being abandoned left him with nothing.

After Light learned of this, he brought Hiro under his wing, and into his fold.

Kira killed criminals, but Hiro had suffered so much in his life that the young man deserved a second chance at life. He was now Light's private masseuse. Normally a woman would provide such a function, but Hiro was verse in all forms of its practise due to his time in the Yukaza. He had also taught Light a few alternative things, as well.

"Very good, I'll be right out." Light ended the communication with the press of a button.

Hiro would be waiting for him in the outer offices, the call originating from his secretary's desk.

Demetre smiled at him, and Light asked him the reason behind it. "Ol' saviour of the meek, how very generous of the Mighty Kira," he said with a chuckle. "When you told me what Hiro did to you, I was surprised at your decision to resurrect him. I was equally bewildered when you wished for him to join our close knit Tsuku-Yoki family."

"Everyone deserves a second chance," was all Light said. "Besides, the boy knows how to keep a secret, and I hold no ill-will towards him for his actions." Hiro was now in his early twenties, but he still looked more or less like he had on the first day Light encountered him. "And he's happy to serve me."

"Oh, I bet he is," Demetre winked.

They left the gym through a sliding door and walked into Light's grandiose office. It took up two-thirds of the penthouse floor and had a cyclopic view of the Kanto Region cityscape, with its large, circular windows. Like his apartment, they were tinted—he could see out, but no one could see in—and bulletproof.

He walked to his oak top desk which was a situated at the far end of the room near the windows. All the walls were window, except for the wall to the outer offices, and a door to his personal apartment next door, that was only accessible by a computerized wall keypad—it filled the last one-third of the penthouse floor.

On his desk, apart from a laptop computer, a phone, and a few nicknacks, the two most prominent things on Light's desk were a scales of justice model cast in gold, that at the moment was leading a little more to the left with a small weight on a scale, and the red face mask that he used as part of his Shinto Izanagi persona.

The mask was a solid fit to the contours of his face. It was made of an industrial hard plastic, similarly used in paint-ball competition, constructed of a polycarbonate material for strength and was shatter resistant. It filled the whole of his face and was dark red with a black strip over the eyes slots. It looked similar to a theatrical Kabuki mask.

He pressed a button on a computer keypad on his desk for the door to his office to open remotely.

Hiro walked in, then immediately shut the door. He carried a folding massage table and a shoulder bag of items he always brought with him. They consisted of oils, lotions, and other medicinal items, he used in his work.

The weekly massage normally lasted an hour. It was, of course, only part and parcel of his job working for Light. He was also a Runner. If Light needed anything done of a personal nature, Hiro would do it without question. He said he owned Light a huge vow of gratitude for saving his life from the Yukaza, and he would do anything for him. And promised to keep Light's new persona a secret to the grave.

Light lied, and said the reason why he changed his name was because it was a form of witness protection. The Yukaza wanted him dead, believing he had killed Terrance Claw—a very powerful man within the Yukaza who had connections worldwide. He also explained that he was a financial wiz, and decided to join the business world when he could no longer be a detective. Hiro had no reason to doubt him.

Hiro unfolded the massage bed, it was black and leather padded. Light began to remove his upper Gi. He looked himself over momentarily and knew he was in the best shape of his entire life. He never felt more alive and so strong than at this moment. And he knew nothing would spoil his new found happiness.

"Would you prefer the regular treatment?" Hiro inquired.

Light gave a thin smile. "I'm feeling a little tense, so I would like the special treatment today."

"Very well, allow me to set things up. It will only take a few moments." Hiro took out what appeared to be a small tackle box from his shoulder bag which rattled as he put it down next to it. Then he brought out soothing lotions and oils in small glass bottles that were inserted into foam padding to prevent breakage.

Demetre gave Light a sideways glance. There was a distinct difference between the Regular and Special Treatment, or massage, and he knew what each entailed. Recently, he had become aware of certain quirks Light possessed.

'Special' here meant deep tissue massage instead of the basic rub, but it did involve a more thorough treatment than one would normally get, with what many referred to as a 'happy ending'.

Demetre was offered one of Hiro's famous massages, but he declined, feeling it would be appropriate, and against his basic religious beliefs. In this day and age, such things were commonplace—just not with him. Some would call his perspective ignorant on the issue, but Demetre didn't care.

He was a Christian with staunch values. Displayed proudly over his chest, on a golden chain that his parents gave him for his first communion, was a crucifix that he wore proudly.

"On that note, I believe I'll make myself scarce," Demetre stepped away. He still wore his Gi. "I have a few things that need my attention anyway. I'll change, then show myself out."

"No, Demmy, please stay," Light insisted. "Besides, I have some business I would like to discuss with you, and it involves our telecommunication network. We are expanding, as you know, and you are my greatest asset in our marketing strategy. You've help me overcome certain hurtles with some companies, and it has been instrumental."

"Why not just use the 'Y' Approach?"

Light gave him a look. "Not feasible, and I don't wish to repeat the mistakes of others." They both knew what that meant. It was Light who found out that the _Yotsaba Group_ -a business not unlike his own-was eliminating their competition back when he was working with L, when he had lost his memory of the Death Note, and he didn't want to follow the same path they had. "Even someone with rudimentary computer skills could learn the truth if we did so."

Just then, the phone on Light's desk beeped.

Demetre went over and answered it, pressing a button, putting his tablet down on the desk. He saw Hiro begin his massage on Light, as Light laid down on the bed, his upper body exposed.

He turned away, and said, "Oui? Tréy Cottré here?" He said in a French accent.

On the other end was Light's secretary in the outer office.

Tréy Cottré was Demetre's new name. He had chosen a new name like Light. He decided a new one was warranted, since he became Light's right hand man in his new business enterprise. Hiro was one of only a handful who knew their real names. It wasn't criminal to change a person's name, but it was prudent if they wished to begin a new life.

Demetre was fluent in several different languages including Russian, English, Japanese and others, but Français was one of his better foreign tongues, and he could speak it with a perfect accent.

The female secretary said there was a representative calling on behalf of _Lucky Dragon Industries_. It was a subsidiary of a large telecommunications company. He wished to speak with Mr. Izanagi about a business affiliation.

Demetre muted the call. "Speak of the devil?" he said, then told him about the message.

Light's eyebrows rose at the coincidence. "Take the call, but don't tell this person I am here, or listening in," he said. Hiro continued with the massage across Light's back, but Light told him to revert back to the regular treatment.

Demetre nodded, then told the secretary to put the call through. Demetre then pressed Conference Mode.

There was a slight pause on the line, then suddenly, an unusual sound was heard. "Greetings! To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" came a weird synthesized voice.

Both Demetre and Light gave each other a sudden, wide-eyed stare.

The moment he heard it, Light gasped, and instantly every muscle in his body became tense, locked up as if every one were being trapped in a vice of steel.

The voice, or rather synthesized one, was the very same L had used. Light used a similar voice box when he pretended to be L, but even with it, a person's frequency was always different because no voice was alike.

This voice, however, had L's exact voice electronic frequency.

_To be continued..._


	15. Enter Matsuda And Aizawa

"Please hold!" Demetre quickly muted the call.

"What a weird sounding voice, sounds fake," Hiro said, stating the obvious.

Light sat up, he was no longer in the mood for a massage. "Hiro, would please excuse us? We can continue the massage later. And believe me, I'm going to need it."

Demetre's face gave the impression he may need one, as well, after this.

"Of course, sir." Hiro nodded, and then left without question.

Light ventured over to his desk. He gave Demetre an unsettled, anxious look. "It can't be," he said, glancing down at the phone. About a dozen things raced through Light's mind, the possibilities. What if this was truly L's voice? But then he thought, it couldn't be, because L never used the Death Note. He put a finger to his lips, a signal for Demetre to continue the call with Light quietly listening in.

Demetre took a deep breath, then reinstated the call. "Bonjour, Monsieur," he said. "Forgive the pause, communications error. My name is Tréy Cottré, I am Mr. Izanagi's, _consolateur_ , and can speak on his behalf. If you had called to speak with him, pardonne-moi, he is not here. To whom can I say I am speaking with?"

"Then you are in need of our services, correct?" said the voice cheerily, as if responding to only the communications error. "Alors vous avez besoin de nos services, correct, monsieur?" He repeated in French, but then added "sir".

Demetre gave the phone a narrowed gaze. The way this person spoke to him, and in French, sounded both condescending and rubbed Demetre the wrong way. "How did you get this number? What is your name?"

"I believe you already know who I am," said the voice with a coy tone. "My name is _Lucky_ , that's _Lucky_ with a capital L. And I wish to speak with Mr. Shinto Izanagi. Isn't he there? You have me on Conference Mode, and I can hear two sets of breathing from this end. Don't be shy, Mr. Izanagi. I wish to be _invited_ to speak with you, as your name pertains. You gave birth to the Tsuku-Yomi Corporation from next to nothing. Looking back, it took you nearly five years to build up enough capital, then you began to buy up businesses all around the globe. And now you have become a company that is widely regarded as fundamental to engage with in order for high-tech products to be distributed. Your reputation is golden. This is why I wish to do business with you. It would be _enlightening_ …"

Light slammed the button of the phone to mute the call. "Jesus, Demetre!"

"Take it easy, Light. It can't be L. I'm sure of it. It's just someone playing with us. There are weirdos everywhere. I'll have someone trace the call."

"But whom? He sounds just like L. And why would he use a synthesizer?"

"Chill, Light. I know about Lucky Dragon Industries, and I have already opened up a dialogue with its affiliate to generate a partnership. Its owner is a bit eccentric, even crazy. His name is Kounna Aiueo. Translated, it actually means Lucky Lucky. But I've never actually spoken to him before. Perhaps this is his method of communication?"

Light put a hand to his head, feeling a bit embarrassed. "Oh," he then said. "Yes, I forgot."

Light recalled Kounna Aiueo's online profile. He looked like a chubby Buddha and he always had a smile on his face. The man also thought he was blessed by the gods, hence his name.

"Tell him, we'll be happy to set up an appointment," Light said. "But I want the call traced, if possible afterwards. And just for measures, I want to get the Shinigami to do something just to make sure. No mistakes this time."

He explained what he wanted done and his instructions actually shocked Demetre.

Light took out a small black ball from a drawer in his desk. It was a Shinigami Probable Ob. He then placed a hand over it and thought about what or whom he wished to summon. Ryuk answered.

He relayed his instructions to Ryuk quickly. Every Shinigami had a Probably Orb in their arsenal, along with their Death Notes, and Geist allowed Light to borrow his for communication purposes. Ryuk had one, so, if a call needed to be made, while the Shinigami were elsewhere performing assigned tasks, they could speak.

Ryuk looked shocked at the instructions, his image manifesting on the surface of the ball. "Okay Light, but we're going not to kill for you, just know that," Ryuk stated. "We won't sacrifice our lives for you!"

"I wouldn't wish that upon you. Rem was foolish, I know you two are smarter."

Ryuk chuckled, then ended the call.

Light put the Probable Orb away.

Demetre still looked stunned. "Really? Why? That seems awfully cruel even for you?"

"It is a necessary to prevent disruption."

Demetre took a moment, then reconnected the call. "Once again, forgive the interruption," he said. "As I said, Mr. Izanagi isn't here, but I believe an arrangement can be made for a bargaining agreement. A representative will—"

"No!" Kounna Aiueo said adamantly. "I would like to meet with Shinto Izanagi personally. I am aware of his issues with face-to-face contact, but I am willing to overlook his _hiding_ if he wishes to do business with me."

Light's eyebrows rose. "Hiding?" he mouthed. Demetre shrugged. Light nodded, and pointed at the phone. Demetre cocked his head, as if to be sure what Light was proposing. Light nodded again.

Demetre then said, "I will contact you when a meeting can be arranged, Mr. Aiueo. I will be in touch." After the complementary good-byes, the call ended. Demetre then gave Light a concerned glance. "Are you sure about this, Light? The less exposure for you is better especially in your situation. Your mask and fake acid story won't fool people forever. You managed to convince people that the shock of the acid attack turned your hair white, but eventually someone will wish to verify your story. You don't _have_ to see him?"

"No one calls me a coward, especially a fat, blowhard like Kounna Aiueo. Set up a meeting. And I can't hide anymore, Demetre. L is dead. He is never coming back. And Near, the SPK, and even the ex-Kira Task Force members have no inkling about us. If they did, then they would've already begun investigating me, but there has been nothing of the sort. I chose Tsuku-Yoki (Night God) because it would be the last remnant of the name Yagami I'd keep. It turns out my name has been very lucky for me. Shinto Izanagi needs to come out of _hiding_ , so to speak."

Demetre nodded, and picked up his tablet that was on Light's desk. He went to the calendar, and conferred a date and time.  
Light pressed a button on this phone. There was a moment's pause before the secretary answered the call. "Please tell Hiro that he can come back in now."

"Sir, there are some people out here who wish to see you," she then said. Light gave a curious glance at the phone, he had no appointments or had any requests that he knew of. "Two police men," she finished.

He gave Demetre a look, muted the call, then went to his computer. He brought up the surveillance system camera to the outer office. He had access to every camera in the building. The front desk on the main floor should have informed him that they were here and wished to see him before they got to the penthouse. Why hadn't they? Police these days, all they have to do is flash their badges, and the whole world falls to their whims. Security was probably told to _not_ inform him of their arrival.

He told Demetre to fire the guard who let them pass without following protocol when able.

He saw Hiro there, standing, obviously waiting to come back in. He also saw his well-dressed, beautiful secretary, sitting at her desk in the posh office, a women whom Demetre hired because her resume fit the bill of their needs. It hadn't escaped his notice either that he liked her on an intimate level.

He also saw two men in trench coats and his eyes widened. "What he devil are _they_ doing here?"

Demetre stood next to Light, saw the CCTV. "Aren't they two of your former Kira Task Force members?"

Light frowned. "Yes, they are. Touta Matsuda and Shuichi Aizawa," he said unpleasantly. "I knew I should have killed them when I had the chance! One of the very first things when I got the Death Note back!"

"Do we let them in?"

Light gave a hardened introspective inward stare at nothing in particular. Hatred filled him, it swelled inside his entire being at the man who literally murdered him and destroyed everything Light had built up as Kira—Touta Matsuda. The most naive and the most gullible one of the Kira Task Force had ended Kira's reign, shooting him. Those shots heard within the warehouse on the pier still echoed in his mind, the scars still present on Light's body.

But he calmed himself. He had to keep his cool. And suddenly, a plan sprung up. "No, we must greet them properly," Light said with a broad smirk. "If we deny them, then it will appear we have something to hide."

Light laughed, almost sadistically. Once again, the concept of hiding had come up. First the phone call and now this surprise visit from the NPA, and by two of his former Kira Task Force colleagues. The irony was almost amusing.

He looked at his mask, put a hand over its face. He was not hiding, merely biding his time for Kira 2.0. And no one was going to prevent his _Grand Agenda_ : _The Resurrection of Kira_ , from coming to fruition.

"Why do you think they would be here?" Demetre wondered.

"Unsure, but the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation is one-hundred percent legitimate. There is no reason for the NPA to come here. And if they try anything, our lawyers would eat them alive!"

"Your decision, Light? Do we risk it?"

Light sat down in his high back chair behind his desk. His naked back touched the leather. He then took his mask in hand and looked at it as if he were reenacting a scene from a Shakespearean play. "Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him."

"Hamlet, Scene 5, Scene 1," Demetre said, "but only partial."

Light smirked. "Make them wait while we attend to ourselves. We can't greet them in this state. Matsuda and Aiwaza believe I'm dead. Let's introduce them to Shinto Izanagi and Tréy Cottré of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation. They've never met you, but let us keep up appearances."

"Laissez les moutons entrer dans la tanière des loups" Demetre spoke. "Let the sheep enter the wolves den."

Light asked that the detectives wait a few minutes before they could be properly greeted when he unmated the call. He kept the CCTV up on his computer and the audio turned up, as they changed.

On the computer, audio was heard of Hiro telling Matsuda and Aizawa that his superior's had just completed a self-defensive session, and once ready, they would be allowed in. So, they would have to wait in the outer office. The two detectives didn't have a problem with it and were offered coffee to wait.

Within ten minutes, Light and Demetre were suitably dressed in suits and ties, like dapper businessmen. Light returned to his desk and put on his mask. Then he sat in his chair.

"Let them in, Demetre. Let us see how evolved the wolves have become?"

* * *

Demetre under his new name Tréy Cottré greeted the pair at Shinto Izanagi's office door, shook their hands cordially welcoming them to Tsuku-Yoki Tower, and then with a butler-esque hand to his midsection, pressed them inside.

"Veuillez entrer, Messieurs," he said in French. "Monsieur Shinto Izanagi will now see you."

"Did he just call me a _monster_?" Matsuda asked Aizawa.

"It's French, you dimwit," Aizawa said gruffly. "He called us _Sir's_. It must be his accent."

Demetre smiled with a tilt in his neck. "Yes, I am sorry. I will speak the native tongue from now on. Mr. Izanagi would most likely prefer Japanese anyway as it is his language of choice. I am fluent in several different languages, which probably makes me a suitable consulter for the owner of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation with its many facets."

Both Matsuda and Aizawa looked around, surprised, at the posh looking office. It was something that only a very rich individual would possess. And yet, with its look, there was very little within, as if, only the basics one needed to operate a business, very few personal items adorned the office.

"Boy, this place sure has changed since the last time we were here," Matsuda remarked. Aizawa agreed.

"Really, how so, gentlemen?" Demetre was now speaking full Japanese to suit the company. "Forgive me, but when Mr. Izanagi purchased the building for the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation headquarters, here in Japan, he was not privy to its then interior. He allowed others to deal with the details. He approved the concept of its alterations and changes to suit his company needs. Although, we did keep the theatre on the fifteen floor. How amusing! The previous owner of the building must have been a movie watcher."

Just then, Hiro came into the office rolling a metal tray of tea and edibles. Snacks, cookies, baked cakes, and a pot of tea that smelled divine.

"Ah, thank-you, Hiro!" Demetre said. "Tea and cookies, detectives?"

Matsuda's face lit up. "Oh yes, I haven't eaten anything since early this morning," he said.

"Help yourself," Demetre said with a smile.

Aizawa declined. "Matsuda, this isn't a social call, we're here on business. Let's get down to brass tax. My name is Detective Shuichi Aizawa, and the one stuffing his face is my partner Detective Touta Matsuda."

"Should you be so forward with your real names, Detective? You never know who is listening?" Demetre said off-handedly with the smallest of smiles. "We still live in the 'Age of Kira'. They say he is only sleeping."

"Trust me, Kira is no longer a threat," Aizawa said.

"Ah, so in your line of work, you deal in absolutes to solve crimes, Detective?"

Aizawa had no response for that. Then he said, "No," he said slightly deflated. "But in a court of law, the public can be rest assured that they will no longer be harassed by a criminal when they are sentenced, and is behind bars."

"Oh, so you've caught Kira? I didn't see it on the news?"

"We caught him in secret and there is a media blackout. Once the NPA can say anything, the public will be informed. However, since Kira's mass killings have ceased, crime has, unfortunately, gone up."

It was obviously a lie, Demetre knew. Little did they know, Kira was alive. "So, things are reverting back to as they were before Kira. Pity." Demetre shook his head disappointed. "The irony isn't lost, Detective. Law enforcement wished to hunt down Kira for his killings. Contrary, Kira gave hope to the masses that someone was protecting them when the police could not. But now that he's gone, criminals are empowered again."

"You tell that to the innocent people Kira murdered!" Matsuda said with a full mouthful.

Aizawa quieted him with a hand on the shoulder. "Don't talk with your mouth full, Matsuda. Yes, it is ironic. But Kira did murder people other than criminals. But he can't do that anymore. His reign of murder has stopped."

Suddenly, the chair behind Shinto Izanagi's desk rotated, and the man himself sat within, wearing an all black suit and tie. The chair's back had been turned before both Matsuda and Aizawa entered. Shinto Izanagi had his red and black mask on. Demetre noticed from a certain angle that it made Light look like a deranged psychopath.

"Then what is the purpose of your visit, Detectives?" he asked, his voice took on a dark tone. He rested his elbows on his desk and steepled his fingers like a man who demanded answers. "I'm waiting," he then said impatiently, when neither Matsuda nor Aizawa answered quickly enough. Obviously they were a little taken aback by the sudden appearance of Tsuku-Yoki's CEO.

Suddenly, the wind seemed to release from Aizawa's sail as he gazed into Shinto Izanagi's red/black mask. It was almost like he was looking at the devil himself. The only thing missing were horns on either side of his head.

_To be continued..._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Author's note: If you are enjoying this story, please review. I would like to know if people ARE enjoying it? Thanks!)


	16. Out For Revenge

"Hello, gentleman, and welcome to Tsuku-Yoki Tower," Shinto Izanagi then said more cordially. "Please, forgive my initial rudeness, but I am upset that I was not informed prior of your visit here. I will have a talk with those in the main lobby and have their conduct addressed accordingly."

Aizawa spoke up. "Don't blame your people," he said apologetically. "I was the one that instructed them not to call up when we arrived, as per protocol, no doubt. We are on official business."

"Indeed," was all Izanagi said.

Matsuda then said, "Forgive us, we wish no disrespect, sir. We know how busy you may be."

"None taken," Izanagi replied in a more jovial mood. Light found it amusing that Matsuda and Aizawa were now humble before him because of his power and status. True, one word from the great Shinto Izanagi, and he could send them both back to beat cop or traffic duty. He leaned back in his chair. "So, Detectives, what is the reason for your visit to my humble corporate headquarters?"

Matsuda spoke up, a sudden seriousness in his tone. A far cry from the image seen when he was stuffing his face a moment ago. "As my colleague said, we are here on official business." Matsuda produced a photo of a person and gave it to Tréy Cottré—Demetre, and Demetre looked at it. "We are here to discuss the suspicious death of one of your associates, who tragically, just yesterday, threw himself in the path of a speeding subway train, Leopold Nétè, a Frenchman who worked directly under Mr. Cottré, I believe, as his personal assistant."

Cottré nodded with sympathy. "Yes, a tragic situation," he said. "He suffered from bouts of depression, and had done so since a young age. He once told me he fought against the demons for many years. However, it would appear, they finally won out. He also had a gambling problem that we tried to rectify on a number of occasions. At once point, he owed over a quarter of a million dollars to some unscrupulous men and they were hounding him for the money. I felt sorry for him, and paid it off, then we enrolled him in a self-help program to combat his addiction."

Aizawa was writing down information as it was spoken in a notebook.

Then Aizawa said: "According to the CCTV footage collected, Mr. Nétè had a blank look on his face when he jumped in front of the train. The main reason we are here is two fold: One: His death, and Two: He caused a lot of chaos with his suicide. The inner and outer routes" —he named the station— "were stopped for a couple of hours for clean-up. I know this may sound cold, but we need to see his personal records and any other information, depression aside. Anything you can provide us would be helpful about his private life. It will help us in closing the case."

Light remembered Leopold Nétè's death. It was gruesome, and internet chatter, witnesses to the accident, had seen his head explode on impact. They would most likely have to identity him by his finger prints.

Aizawa then reached into his trench coat and brought out a small bag with pieces of something that was partially bloody. "We also found this in what was left of his jaw. It appears to be some sort of mouthguard. Did Leopold Nétè have dental work done recently?"

"Not yet, and clearly there is no longer any need," Cottré said; Demetre responding smartly. "Leo did tell me he was wearing that. He told me he wanted to fix an imperfection in his jaw bite and said he needed to wear a mouthguard."

Aizawa nodded, apparently satisfied. He put the bag back into an inner pocket of his trench coat. "We just need a little more information, other than his personal records, to close the case…"

Matsuda nodded. "Did Mr. Nétè exhibit any signs of depression leading up to his suicide in the last couple of days?" he asked. "There are always signs, even if not apparent at the time."

"No," Cottré replied. "And I would know. He seemed quite happy the last time I saw him. Nothing that would lead me to believe he had the desire to take his own life and in such a horrific way. We mourn for his loss. He was a great asset to the company. He helped me in ways that made my work a lot easier. Having a personal assistant takes some of the burden off my shoulders in aiding Mr. Izanagi, much like a partner when conducting an investigation."

Matsuda nodded, giving a sideways glance to Aizawa.

Matsuda then reached into a side pocket of his trench coat and pulled out a bag of what looked like identification cards. "We also have concerns why he was carrying false ID on him," he said. "These ID cards were in his wallet when we examined it, and since we have established his real name is Leopold Nétè… Why do you suppose he was carrying ID with a completely different name—Peter Faulker. It sounds American."

Cottré smirked. "Isn't it obvious, Detective? Kiraophobia. Not knowing if you are going to be targeted by Kira. So naturally, people have fake ID's made up to show others. As we all know, Kira targets criminals—or rather targeted—but he sometimes killed innocent people to serve a personal agenda. Leo was a gambler and often fell in the wrong crowd. I don't know how Kira killed, but having a false ID on you would make prudent sense. Don't you think?"

Aizawa cocked his head curiously, he then looked directly at Light/Izanagi. "And how would he know to do that?"

"Because the criminal underworld is doing the same thing, Detective," Izanagi revealed. "Even after the so called end of Kira, as you hinted at. People are still afraid. Afraid that Kira may someday return. Some still believe that Kira's way is the ideal way to cleanse the world of evil. Cults arose on Kira's principles and the TV program: Kira's Kingdom still exists in some form or another. But I don't care what these religious types think. People must have faith in more tangible heroes, for example, like the police. Fear is no way to run a society. Have either of you read George Orwell's '1984'? It's a riveting read, filled with political intrigue and sociological encapsulation, and it's not difficult to see the correlations between the book and society now."

Neither said they had read the book.

Matsuda then said, "I am glad you have faith in the police, Mr. Izanagi. And thank you again for your large donation to the Policeman's Ball a few weeks back. Very generous!"

"Anything I can do to help and to restore faith back to the people for which are in most deserving."

"Well, that should be all," Aizawa said. "Thank you for speaking with us, Mr. Izanagi."

Shinto Izanagi stood up from his desk. He wanted to escort them out of the office properly and gentlemanly.

As the detectives ventured to the door, Aizawa then suddenly stopped.

"Oh, by the way, Mr. Izanagi," he said, "about this mouthguard found in Leopold Nétè's jaw. There was something curious about it when our forensics team examined it. They found electronic fibres imbedded within the plastic with wiring that connected to the ends that latch onto the back molars like some sort of shock device."

Demetre's brow cocked, as he looked at Light through the mask.

"Our forensics department will be looking further into it, but we suspect it may be some sort of 'dog collar', for lack of a better description. A control device, and no mere mouthguard to fix a jaw problem. Just so you know."

"Something sinister, perhaps," Matsuda then remarked. "Whether this was outside your sights, or your man was a test subject for something, we'll be conducting an investigation into this."

Light's eyes narrowed. That was the last thing that he needed. Although, they would not be able to directly connect the mouthguard to the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, as Light's company didn't make any products—they were merely a distributor of high-tech goods to other companies—it could begin an investigation that Near of the SPK many get involved with, because it dealt with a very suspicious case. He had to retrieve the mouthguard and destroy it.

"What are you implying, Detective?…Matsuda, is it?…But yes, this is a curious situation, and one that warrants an investigation. You're a good man, Detective. Top notch. You appear to have a sturdy head on your shoulders."

Matsuda smiled at the compliment. "Thank you, sir. But I'm still new at being a full detective, and I'm still getting used to the long hours. It's not all rainbows and sunshine, as some say."

"Don't sell yourself short. Taking down hardened criminals is a tough career choice for anyone. But remember, you also need to make time to relax, with a partner, or are you married?"

Matsuda looked slightly embarrassed, his eyes looking down. "Not much room for a social life, I'm afraid. No time for a family, or even a nightlife in our business, eh, Aizawa?"

"I'm married," Aizawa replied. "You're still a young pup with oats to sow."

Light was pleased with himself. He had managed to lull them into a false sense of security despite the mouthguard issue springing up. Now he had to press on. "Indeed," he said. "How would you like to join me, become a member of my security team? I can use smart people in my employ. I can offer benefits and a healthy salary. You too, Mr. Aizawa, and you won't have to deal with all that nasty paperwork anymore." He smiled under the mask.

Aizawa immediately declined pleasantly, but thanked Izanagi for the offer.

Matsuda said, "Oh, I couldn't do that. I love my job! The stress is a part of the it. Catching crooks gives me a thrill."

"But it's also hard work," Aizawa said, partly scolding his partner.

Izanagi sighed. "Pity, you two could've done me a great service. I suppose I'll just have to go an alternative route…"

Aizawa's expression looked like it had latched onto something odd, when Light/Izanagi suddenly grabbed Matsuda in a chock hold.  
At the same time, both Demetre and Hiro brandished handguns, they quickly grabbed from hidden places on their person. Aizawa put up his hands, as Light continued to chock Matsuda. Matsuda grabbed onto Izanagi's arm, a strong grip on his throat, a strong bicep pressed hard across his throat, and tried to pull it off, but couldn't.

Izanagi said: "You took everything away from me, Matsuda! The world was mine to rule, but you had to get all noble. If only you shot the others instead, everything would've turned out fine and you would have been greatly rewarded!"

"What…are you…talking about?" Matsuda croaked out.

Matsuda then reached down and went for his gun that was in its holster on his belt, but the moment he tried to bring it to bare, Light knocked it away, the weapon dropping to the floor. It was then kicked away, and Hiro picked it up.

Hiro now held a gun on Aizawa with his right hand and the other at Matsuda with his left. Demetre also held Aizawa at bay. He then relieved Aizawa of his main weapon that was in a shoulder holster in his trench coat.

"I should have you shot, Matsuda," Light said. "And told everyone you went crazy like you did about me in a fit of fury and anguish," choking Matsuda harder.

Matsuda tried to escape the hold, but to no avail. Thanks to Demetre's personal training and even his own from police foundations, he was able to counter anything Matsuda attempted to break free.

"Keep him in your sights, Hiro," Demetre said, as he made his way to Light's desk. Hiro obeyed without question. Demetre returned with two cases, one white, the other black. He slipped the black case in his suit jacket pocket for the moment. He went straight to Matsuda.

Light nodded, giving him a signal. Then Demetre delivered a punch to Matsuda's gut. Aizawa shouted in protest, but Hiro stepped in close, now pointing both guns on him which forced Aizawa to take a few steps away. The punch forced Matsuda to momentarily gasp. Demetre opened the white case which contained a white mouthguard, and used the next moment to force Matsuda's open jaw with one hand, applying pressure on his cheeks.

Then he inserted the mouthguard into the upper portion of Matsuda's mouth.

Once it was done, Light released his chock hold, and then pushed Matsuda away, then delivered a kick to Matsuda backside for good measure, as if to kick away a piece of garbage, which caused Matsuda to topple over to his hands and knees. Matsuda then felt his stomach, and his jaw.

"Remove it and you die!" Izanagi stated. "Call it a bomb, if you'd like. But it's much more sophisticated than that." That seemed to stop Matsuda from attempting to remove it.

Demetre then gave Light the black case that he put in his suit jacket.

"What is the meaning of this?" Aizawa demanded. "And what did you just put in Matsuda mouth? It looks like what we found inside Leopold Nétè's mouth. It's some sort of high-tech control device, isn't it?"

"Oh, it's much more than that, Detective Aizawa. Its visionary genius!" Light said.

Light lifted his mask slightly after he took the black mouthguard out of the case and clapped down on it after inserting it into his mouth. He then slid his mask back on. "Detective Matsuda, let us play a game. A game of chance, of life and death." He reached into his right suit jacket pocket and brought out a 500 Yen gold coin. Half of what a Japanese Bento would cost if bought on the cheap. "Heads I win, tails you lose."

"Wait, that doesn't mean sense," Aizawa stated. "It's heads I win, tails you lose!"

"In the game I play, Detective, nothing is ever 50-50. But Matsuda does have a chance. Play my game or forfeit. If by chance, the flip of the coin lands on its side, the game is a draw. The chances are astronomical of that occurring, but not impossible."

"By forfeit, do you mean my head will explode with this bomb if I don't agree to play your game?" Matsuda asked. He sat on his butt still now, as if afraid the slightest movement will cause the bomb to blow. He looked at Aizawa. "I don't have much of a choice, do I?" Scowling, he said: "Fine, I'll play your sadistic game!"

Shinto Izanagi laughed. "Excellent, Matsuda! That's the very same look you had on your face that day. It is day that I will remember in forever, the day that everything I had accomplished was taken away for me!"

"You've said that twice," Aizawa said curiously. "Have we met before?"

"Oh yes, Aizawa, we have. And the hatred I have for you both fills my heart with an eternal flame!"

_To be continued..._


	17. New Death Note Rules

Shinto Izanagi flipped the coin into the air and it spun with such velocity that it was a mere blur when looked at by the naked eye. It went unhindered as it fell and slammed onto the hardwood floor with several clangs and bounces. It eventually landed with heads up.

"I win," he said plainly.

"No, wait," Matsuda said. "I never chose a side before you flipped the coin!"

Suddenly, a tremendous shock reverberated through Matsuda's jaw. He grabbed his mouth, tried to scream, but the pain was so unexpected that he clenched his jaw instead, and whimpered. Tears bead at the corners of his eyes and he folded over. The pain too much, and Matsuda fell into a momentary unconsciousness, laying limp on the floor.

"W-what's happening? Matsuda!"

Aizawa took two steps forward in an attempt to help his friend, but Hiro pulled at the trigger of Matsuda's gun in reaction. Nothing happened. But neither did it misfire. In Hiro's excitement, he forgot to racket back the safety switch. But he had full control of his own gun and pushed Aizawa back. In was a good thing, however, or Hiro would have inadvertently shot a police officer, and there would be questions.

"He never lost! You cheated!" Aizawa said.

"No, Detective Aizawa," Izanagi said. "Like in ever casino, on a draw: The House rules. The moment he agreed to play the game is the moment he truly lost. If the coin landed on its edge, the outcome would've been the same."

Matsuda suddenly gasped, and his eyes shot open. "Ow! What just happened? I'm not dead?" His felt his jaw.

"No, you are not dead. You just became my willing and obedient servant, Touta Matsuda," Shinto Izanagi said. "The moment the mouthguard was inserted, it locked to your upper jaw. If you attempt to take it out, you will die. The price for failing to obey me will be an immediate and fatal heart attack."

Matsuda gave a snap, shocked look to Aizawa. "A heart attack?" he questioned.

"There's only one thing I know of that could do something like that, but with that you'd have to write a person's name down while envisioning their face," Aizawa said, as he gave Shinto Izanagi a weird stare.

Shinto Izanagi put a hand to his mask, and in dramatic fashion, removed it, as if he was an actor playing a theatrical role on stage. He had white hair, but no scare anywhere on his face.

But he did have one thing—familiarity. Aizawa and Matsuda knew him.

"Oh, my, god!" Aizawa gasped. "Light Yagami. But…you're…"

"Dead? I am Kira! I am forever! I was shot and left for dead, but I was reborn, with a new identity, and new allies at my beck and call. Everyone who gets involved with the Death Note seems to die—all except me." He gave Demetre a sideways glance and a smirk. "I was chosen, and I now hold the power to change this world once more!"

Matsuda looked at him with animosity, and Light smiled. "Good, Matsuda, and go ahead and hate me. It gives me joy that you now look upon the man you thought once killed for crimes against humanity, but now has come back despite your efforts. And as for the details of my resurrection, they are too complicated for feeble minds. Suffice to say, I plan on getting revenge on everyone who opposed me." He shrugged. "Is that cliche? Perhaps? But accept it!"

Aizawa clenched his fists at his side and scowled. A normal person would be completely taken aback by the circumstances of someone returning from the dead, but after the events with the Death Note, and the existence of beings known as Shinigami "gods of death", the chance of Light coming back was not unfathomable, especially for a former Kira Task Force member to think, for which Aizawa had been a member.

"Do you plan on killing Near, the SPK, and all the former members of the Kira Task Force? Teru Mikami is dead, he killed himself in the warehouse on the pier where Matsuda shot you, giving you time to make an escape. Misa Amane is also dead. She committed suicide just recently at a religious convent." Aizawa looked to both the man he knew as Tréy Cottré and a younger man whom he did not know. "Are these your new allies? How did you survive?"

"By sheer will and determination," Light answered. "You may not know them personally, but you may have heard their names in association with mine during other cases…" Light gestured. "To my right is my oldest friend: Demetre Draycott, and to my left, you knew him by another name, Matsuda even conducted a family tree on him after the Yukaza Affair: Riki. But his real name is Hiro Yamamoto. When the world abandoned him, I gave him purpose here."

Light smirked, then brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen loose when he removed his mask. "And to answer another question that I know is foremost on your mind: How did I become the CEO to a multi-national company? I thought ahead, invested, and I climbed the ladder of success. Quite quickly, I admit. And in allying myself with others, the Death Note was weaponized with brand new abilities. Matsuda has a new Death Note in his mouth, and it is controlled by the _Alpha Guard_ that I put in my mouth. It uses a new ability and a form of psi-neuropathy.

"In layman terms: mind control. And it works with a wireless control of the Prefrontal Cortex of the brain and through nerve electro-stimulation. This area controls the 'executive functions' of the brain including judgment, impulse control, management of aggression, emotional regulation, self regulation, planning, reasoning and social skills. So, whatever I wish for a person who wears a mouthguard to do, they do so without question. Or, they suffer the consequences for their defiance.

"Matsuda is not the first under my control, and he won't be the last. The Death Note is still available to use, it just doesn't need to be carried around anymore. And who do you think incentivized Misa to kill herself? She was already a weak-minded person, I just gave her that final push. She's out of my hair for good!"

"You bastard!" Aizawa growled. Then: "Speaking of your hair, what happened to yours? It's ghostly white."

Light brushed a hand through is hair. "It's a side effect of my rebirth, much like receiving a deathly fright," he admitted. "Yet it's useful. It plays well to my new persona as Shinto Izanagi, CEO of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, and the story I tell everyone why I wear the mask is that I was splashed with acid by an old rival. The mask is the perfect cover to hide my real identity."

"You won't get away with this! Now that we know the truth, your lie will be exposed. When Near finds out, he'll hunt you down to the ends of the Earth, and finally send you to die for good!"

Light laughed with a broad smile. "He'll never know, and who will tell him? You? Unfortunately, you'll about to forget this entire escapade ever happened." Light pointed. "Matsuda, you will go to sleep! And when you awake, I order you to forget everything you've seen and heard inside this room."

Suddenly, Matsuda eyes fluttered, as if his mind was instantly controlled, and he dropped like a stone to the floor unconscious.

Aizawa shouted for Matsuda to wake up.

"Shout all you want, Aizawa. My office is sound proof. If I wished to murder you here, no one would hear the shot."

Just then, Demetre moved quickly, and delivered a hard punch to Aizawa's chin, knocking him back. Aizawa staggered, but did not drop. He reached down to his left leg, and grabbed a secondary weapon, and pointed it at Demetre. Demetre dodged the bullet, and whacked the gun out of his hand.

Then he grabbed Aizawa's face in the palm of his hand, his fingers spread out like spider's limbs, and issued a command of his own, using his Death Note ring.

Aizawa grabbed Demetre's arm with both hands and tried to pry his hand away from his face, but could not. He struggled and his protests were muffled by Demetre's hand. Demetre's grip was strong and Aizawa was stuck.

"You will yield to my instructions, Shuichi Aizawa. If you do not obey me, you will suffer the gravest of misfortunes, and die a horrible death," Demetre threatened. The command went straight to Aizawa's Prefrontal Cortex, using a form of neurological telepathy, but through touch.

Aizawa appeared to settle, the Death Note ring taking control of his mind. Demetre could only use telepathy with the ring after he took control of a subject through initial contract first, Morph had told him. Then he could issue any command, at a later date, once a person's mind's eye was open through speech. He didn't have telepathic powers, but the Death Note ring gave him the ability to control a person's mind once after he used the ring on them. It acted much like a magician's influence after he had inserted a secret command into a person's mind.

Aizawa's arms dropped at his sides.

Demetre then said, "You will forget everything you have seen and heard in this room. When you hear a command from my voice, you will obey it without question…"

With this method of control, Demetre was able to override a subject's basic moral compass, and make them do anything he commanded. And Aizawa had not been the first he used this on.

He then gave Aizawa a command phrase, and unless the phrase was issued, nothing here would be recalled. He could also use it to control Aizawa to do anything he wished without being consciously aware of it.

Light also issued a similar phrase to Matsuda as he slept, his mind adhering to the mouthguard's control even in an unconscious state. And after their commands, both said the word: "Infinity" to conclude it, or Aizawa and Matsuda would die by the Death Note. Geist had revealed this secret.

Geist was a rogue Shinigami, and when he made a contract with Demetre, he revealed everything about the Death Note, that Ryuk would normally have left out because Light not knowing, he said, provided more entertainment.

But Geist revealed a little known fact about the Death Note that only the Shinigami King and few others would know: that reciting the word, or writing the symbol "Infinity", after an instruction in the Death Note, would dispel a person from dying after the forty-second countdown. It was a "cheat", as some video game players would say.

It caused time to start and finish forever, in an infinity loop, therefore cancelling the forty-second death-clock, unless removed with a Death Eraser, and because it was in a class of its own, it was named "Rule IL" (as in Infinity Loop).

It was also how Demetre overcame Light's attempt to kill him when they had their Death Note battle. (**refers to my novel: _The Draycott Factor_ ). Humorously referred to by both as the "Battle of the Death Notes". Neither won, nor lost that battle.

In addition, if a person placed their palm on a page of the Death Note, they didn't need to use an instrument to write with, they could simply recite, audibly, what they wanted to say, and it would write itself out. This rule also did not have a number attached to it, therefore it was called "Rule RW" (as in Recite/Write).

They were new tricks of the Death Note Light hadn't known about.

Aizawa and Matsuda were saved because they could later be used as pawns if needed.

Demetre stepped back, Aizawa then dropped to the floor, unconscious.

"Wow!" Hiro said with amazement after witnessing everything, still holding both guns in hand. Light asked for them when he extended a hand, and Hiro relinquished the weapons without question. Hiro obeyed every order from Light. "You never told me you had devices like that? Are those some kind of new high-tech defensive weapons you're trying out for military warfare before you distribute them? And what is a Death Note?"

Demetre cracked his knuckles of his left hand. "The boy asks too many questions, Light."

Light sighed regretfully. "I know," he said, with a slight tilt of his head.

Demetre did not need to touch the boy to issue a command. He squeezed his left hand and used the power of his ring and a command had had previously inserted. He had used his powers on Hiro once before and made the boy forget the use. It was insurance for situations like this, just in case he found something out that he should not.

Hiro was a foot and half shorter than Demetre and he still looked like a young teenager, hence the term 'boy'.

"Hiro Yamamoto," he said, as the boy gasped, his face going suddenly blank, his mental cognitive abilities hijacked. "You will forget everything you have seen here, everything you have heard about the Death Note, the mouthguard's, and my ring. Your memories will revert back to just before you came into the office minutes ago. You will leave, and sit down in a chair in the outer office, and shut your eyes, after you tell the secretary you are to wait. When you awaken, you will feel refreshed, and then return to give Shinto Izanagi a massage."

Demetre then spoke the word Infinity, saving Hiro's life.

Hiro nodded, he then left the office, shutting the door.

"Now, for these two," Demetre said. "They must leave under their own power, and oblivious to what has transpired. We have instructed them to forget, but they'll wonder why they are on the floor. They will be out pawns for later. And with the Infinity Rule, we can chose when they will die. Omnipotent power is once again under Kira's control!"

Light smirked broadly. "Correction, Demetre: _our_ control, together _we_ are Kira now!"

"The mouthguard must remain in Matsuda's mouth for your command to remain," Demetre reminded Light. "You can take the _Alpha Guard_ out, but if Matsuda decides to take his mouthguard out without you releasing him, Matsuda will die of a heart attack. As for Leopard's mouthguard, we'll destroy it. NPA forensics will wonder where it went to, but then Aizawa will get the blame for losing it. But at least the Death Note will be safe. As Morph later told us, only the original Death Note for which the mouthguard and this ring are forged will allow people be able to see Shinigami."

"Yes, I know all this." Light nodded. "No need to remind me. And yes, destroying Leopard's mouthguard is prudent. I killed him because he had found out about the _Grand Agenda_ , and me. He needed to be eliminated."

Demetre agreed. He looked at his watch on his right wrist. "Any word on the Shinigami?"

Just then, as if on cue after Demetre spoke of them, Ryuk and Geist emerged from behind a wall near Light's desk. If Shinigami could look tired, they looked exhausted.

"Welcome back," Light said to the pair. "Was the mission successful?"

Geist grumbled under his so-called breath. "If you mean scaring a butch of kids half-to-death in a poltergeist like raid…" His eyes glowered with distain. "Then yes," he further said unpleasantly. "Mission accomplished."

Ryuk held something in his boney, but leather covered left hand. It looked like a black mini bowling ball. Light knew what it was. It was a Probable Ob.

Ryuk enjoyed hiding things. If the Shinigami had only divulged certain things to Light when they first met like Geist had to Demetre, Kira would still reign supreme. He remembered Ryuk and Misa had used one like it to find him in the underground Yukaza facility when he had been kidnapped by the Dragon Sect, years prior.

However, while each Shinigami had one, this didn't belong to either one of them. Light had Geist's Probable Ob in his desk, he had spoken to Ryuk earlier using it. Ryuk hence presented his to prove it wasn't his.

Light went over and cupped it in his hands, as Ryuk gave it to him. "This is unexpected," Light said.

"We found in the possession of a small boy after we did the deed, where you sent us," Ryuk said. "We had a little trouble finding the place, but this Ob lead us to it like a beacon. The kid who had it, his name was Jayden."

"And why would a boy at such a place like an orphanage have a device that belongs to a god of death?"

Ryuk shrugged his shoulders. "But like you said, there were no fatalities," the Shinigami stated. "If there were, then one or neither one of us would be here. If we killed for you, we'd turn to dust like Rem did after killing L."

Light smirked. That implied Ryuk liked him. And if a Shinigami killed for their human handler, they'd die.

"So, that's it then," Demetre said. "Wammy House in Winchester, England—L's place of origin—is no more."

Walking past the two unconscious detectives, Light went back to his computer and brought up a search engine, after logging on with a fingerprint reader, then typed in for information on "Wammy House".

News captions popped up with the name with articles on the destruction of the orphanage, blamed on a freak weather phenomenon, and bringing with it sudden gale-force winds clocked at with 130 mph. It was categorized as a Type 4 hurricane-type storm, but without torrential rains which normally came with such destructive tempest.

He sat and leaned back in his chair, then looked at Demetre with a satisfying smile. His friend had taken a snack from the food tray Hiro had brought in and stood with a half-bitten biscuit in hand. "All is going to plan, Demmy, and better than I had hoped," Light said. "I think it's for that massage now."

_To be continued..._


	18. The Destruction Of Wammy House

Eighteen minutes before the attack on Wammy House, L found himself wandering the halls of the school, reminiscing of old times, once being a student in these great halls.

Not much had changed, and even the church remained the same. And even though it may have been selfish on his part, he was pleased the church hadn't bowed down to political correctness of removing its large cross on the roof to satisfy others. A church was a church, and should remain such. He was proud of its origins.

He found his memories here as a child, an orphan, flood back like a tidal wave. The only thing missing this time was Watari. He was like a father to him, and when L decided to branch out into the policing field, Watari came with him, and was supportive throughout it all. Watari did have his opinions, and L did know that a fresh outlook was paramount to solving a case if one was stuck, but in the end, how a case was dealt with was L's final decision.

Watari was killed by a Death Note, he was 99.9% sure of this. There was always a 1% chance of error, however.

A Shinigami was at fault for bringing the Death Note to the Human World, but Kira/Light Yagami was to blame for its use to murder thousands of people for a child-like sense of justice.

Light Yagami was Kira, and L vowed he would make Light Yagami pay dearly for what he had done.

Roger Ruvie, the new facilitator of Wammy House, had a few ideas in how to get L's foot in the door with the CEO of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, Shinto Izanagi. But soon after their roundtable discussion ended, L had a more frank approach. He called Shinto Izanagi directly under the pretext of being the owner of _Lucky Dragon Industries_ , Kounna Aiueo, using a synthesizer to disguise his voice. Otherwise, if he hadn't, he would be instantly recognized by Light. Light knew L's voice.

As he wandered the halls of the dormitories, most of the students were still in their classes—Wammy House was not only an orphanage for wayward/gifted children, but it was also a place of learning—he suddenly he heard voices in conversion from a slightly ajar door a little down a hall.

He walked over, and stood next to the door, listening in. He didn't like to spy, but it was force of habit as a detective.

He once hid surveillance equipment in Light Yagami's bedroom for two weeks when Yagami was in high school on the suspicion he was Kira. Nothing came of it, no evidence was collected, but he still kept taps on Light. Later, those suspicions would turn out to he right. Unfortunately, Light killed him before he could prove it.

Peaking through the crack in the door, he saw young Braydon Rise, or Jayden, as he was known now, sitting on his bed, playing, gazing into the _Probable Orb_ that Castra had given him to occupy his time, so the others could talk. Jayden spoke, and L could also hear another voice coming from the Orb. It was a young, sounding, child's voice.

Jayden suddenly looked up at the door, and said, "Hello, L."

Louis Lawliet—L—being his pseudonym for his detective work, opened the door. "Hello, Jayden," he said. "Have you been playing with that Orb all this time? And who are you conversing with?"

"I'm speaking with a very smart boy with white hair, who knows a lot about universal constructs. We have been talking about all sorts of different subjects."  
"Really? May I also speak with this intelligent boy?"

Jayden looked down at the Orb, but then his expression of happiness changed to that of confusion. "Um, hello?" he said to the Orb. "Where did you go? I was speaking to him just a moment ago, honest!"

L nodded. "You have no reason to lie, so I believe you," he said, sitting on the edge of the bed. Jayden shared this room with three other orphans. There were two beds on this side of the room and two more facing the opposite. "I have never used one of those things, so I wouldn't know how it works. How do you use it? How did your conversion with this boy come about?"

"I came to my room after that pretty, tall lady, gave this to me. But I got bored of it quickly. It was just a black ball. I know she gave to me to as a distraction, so you adults could talk alone. I'm not stupid. So, I put it aside, and began to read a manga. I have to admit, I skipped the rest of my classes today. I didn't feel like going…"

Jayden apologized, but L paid it no mind, and asked him to continue. L noticed a manga was laying on Jayden's bed. He took the time to gage with the manga and flip through its pages, as if to get a sense of what sort of things the boy enjoyed to read about, to engage better with him, since he knew his parents, however briefly.

"But then, when I began to read," Jayden continued, "all of a sudden, the boy's face just appeared on the surface of the ball, floating, and he said hello to me by name. I was a little frightened, but quickly overcame my fear, and began to talk to him. He was nice, and well spoken, very smart. We even spoke about family. He says his family was killed by a horrible monster, and I asked if it was Kira."

L's attention was immediately captured.

"He said no, another monster; a more cruel creature, from another realm. He didn't seem fazed when I mentioned Kira, and knew who I meant. He was open about there being other realms, and the Human World was only one of many in a vast open space. He briefly mentioned he had a brother, when I told him I was an only child. But also said blood doesn't always make a family well bred. Whatever that meant?"

L pressed for more information. "When this boy said he knew about Kira, what did he mean?"

Jayden thought. "He said he knew my parents, and that Kira had murdered them after an encounter with you, and some other person named Light Yagami—but he was vague on details."

L's mind raced. From the sound of things, this "boy" knew about events that transpired in the Jasper Yuta Case.

Jasper Yuta and his friends had infiltrated the Kira de facto headquarters, which was now Tsuku-Yoki Tower, in the downtown region of Kanto. Certain pieces of the puzzle had been missing in that case. He suspected there was a fifth person in Jasper Yuta's party.

Was this "boy", a supernatural influence, that fifth? Maybe its progenitor?

And yet, Jasper Yuta wanted revenge on Light Yagami for his part in putting his father away years prior. Jasper Yuta's father was a child killer, known as the Child Butcher of Japan. Yoma Yuta later committed suicide in his cell and his death was blamed on Kira. But Jasper Yuta went after Light for his father's death. Why would this "boy" be a part of Jasper Yuta's party? They were all later killed by heart attacks. It didn't make sense.

Did Jasper Yuta know back then Light Yagami was Kira? If only L knew, so many things, future events, could have been changed for the better.

"Does this boy have a name?" L asked.

"He said his name was Morph, short for Metamorphosis."

The name rung a bell with L, it was he same name of the supernatural Imp who aligned himself with Light Yagami that Clavis had told him about. But why would Morph be speaking with Jayden?

Morph aligned with Jasper Yuta in his plight for revenge against Light Yagami. The dots were beginning to become connected now, pieces fitting together like a jigsaw. But why would Jayden, or Braydon Rise, be of any interest to this being? Morph did cause the deaths of Jayden's parents, Matt and Crystal Rise. Their deaths were blamed on heart attacks, no doubt brought on my the Third Kira at the time. Was there a certain guilt there?

Perhaps Morph is merely a leech and an opportunist? And Light Yagami is just convenient to align with now?

Jayden then said, "One more thing: Morph was apologizing to me for something, but he didn't get a chance to say for what. That was when I saw you, his image suddenly disappearing from the Orb."

L nodded. Had the Imp been feeling a pang of guilt for what had happened to Jayden's parents?

Just then, a musical tone began playing, and L reached into the back pocket of his jeans to answer a new phone he had been given by Nate. It was the first time the phone had rung and L was amused by the ringtone: _Pink Floyd's The Wall: 'In The Flesh'_. It was just like Nate to add a ringtone like that. The irony wasn't lost on L.

He answered it like he always did every phone, with thumb and forefinger, as if it were glass, and he was afraid to brake it. It was one of many quirks he had been told he possessed. He brought it to his ear. "Hello, L here."

"L…" came a very agitated voice. "It's Near, the orphanage is under attack!" Suddenly, L heard a loud bang, and what sounded like an explosion, followed by voices of panic from the hallway. He quickly left the room, Jayden following, and saw that all the students were running around for their lives. "And you won't believe by whom…"

When Near told him, L was shocked beyond belief. And only those who had touched a Death Note could see them.

* * *

When it was all over, the destruction of Wammy House seemed quick, precise, and without mercy—the orphanage toppled with purpose. It was almost as if the attacks were strategized. The Shinigami chose exact locations to inflict the maximum amount of damage in the short amount of time, much like a pinpointed detonation with a building.

L only caught glimpses of the winged Shinigami when he ran out to help others, the winged death gods' faces obscured by their swift, blustering flight. They used their wings to generate gale force winds that acted similar experience during a hurricane, as both Shinigami took down the walls of both the school and the church. Those who could not see them ran around in fear at the sudden and vicious windstorm. England was known to have freak weather phenomenon, and it rained a lot, but nothing like this.

No rain followed the storm, later witnesses told. Only the winds, they said.

Thank god, there where were no fatalities.

But the weird thing was, L later learned, was one of the Shinigami stole the Probable Orb from Jayden when the boy encountered one of them. When asked about it, Jayden said the Shinigami looked like an evil clown.

x x x

There was a large police presence after the incident. Those who knew the truth, kept their mouths shut. Not only would no one believe them, but having the rest of the world know about Shinigami would create chaos. It was best to keep what truly happened in house for now.

But much like a bombing, Wammy House was in complete and utter ruins. Why would Shinigami attack the orphanage? There was no reasoning behind it.  
Unless L hit on something during that call to Tsuku-Yoki Tower and this was in revenge for that contact?

It reminded him of that time when he thought Kira was a student, because of the times and days of criminals dying. Then Kira found out, and criminals began dying hourly, and at any given day, as if to change up the pattern.

He surmised, Light Yagami have just made a mistake sending out these Shinigami to destroy Wammy House, not knowing who would be present. If he, or Near, had not been here, then Wammy House's destruction would be attributed to freak weather phenomena.

As far as Light Yagami was concerned, L was dead, so he had no reason to do this, other than for sinful revenge.

This is where L had come from, Wammy House was his home when he lost his parents in a tragic accident. Watari's obituary had indicated such. L had read it when he was in Quindecim.

Light Yagami probably used that information to stage the attack here.

It was foolish. It was like "inviting" conjecture in Light Yagami being exactly who L thought he was: CEO of the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, Shinto Izanagi. And Izanagi meant: "he-who-invites". This now invited L to highly suspect Izanagi. At that moment, he wondered if he could get in touch with any of the old Kira Task Force members through Near and bring the team back together. The Special Provision for Kira, Near called it, or the SPK.

But he had to admit, admirably, that Light Yagami had come up in the world since his return, and in such a short period of time. However he did it, with Morph's help or his own doing, Light Yagami now had power and influence, and it wasn't going to be easy to get to him, not like last time. And yet, was the "hidden talent" he had wondered about this? Light was a good detective, but being an entrepreneur in marketing and strategy was a surprise.

Light Yagami was always a quick study. In fact, he was the one who found the connection between the Yostuba Group and the Third Kira's killings, later learning Kira just happened to be one of their own board members. L thought it was all over when they caught Kyosuke Higuchi.

It was here he about the Death Note and Kira's powers, and how whoever touched a Death Note could see a 'god of death' which possessed the user, and confirmed Kira's secret: that a name and face was needed to kill a person, according to the Death Note's written instructions.

If he knew then, what he knew now, he could have ended the case. But he made a foolish mistake and announced his intentions, and in front of Light Yagami—that he was going to test out the Deathnote on a criminal and he had governmental authority to do so. It was then the Shinigami, Rem, who was at attached to the Death Note at the time, wrote down both he and Watari's names. Only in Quindecim did he learn what had truly happened.

But with his last dying breath, he had spoken Kira's name: Light Yagami. Unfortunately, no one else hear it other than Light, who was crouched down next to him. Light's arms were cradled around him as if in dying sympathetic embrace, but he was exhibiting a sinister smile in sheer triumphant, as everyone else panicked.

L had found a jacket, and now wore it, as he wandered the ruins of the orphanage.

A bus had already arrived to take the orphans to safety to another place. Other than himself, and a few others, only the police were on the scene now. Except for a few media, of course. This would no doubt be the top story on the news tonight. It was already starting to generate a buzz on the internet now.

He saw Nate Rivers standing alone in a beige coat and a baseball cap. But in attempting to disguise himself, it only brought him more attention and the media swarmed in on him, because he looked like a forgotten orphan.

After Nate had called L to tell him two Shinigami were attacking, because he could see them in touching the Death Note on a previous occasion, he helped get the children to safety. He would mostly like be branded a hero. L figured it was best to keep all the attention on him at the moment.

Nate was the perfect successor to L's legacy. L was so proud of him.

L had no doubt the orphanage would be rebuilt. Watari had lots of capital to keep all his other orphanage's going for many years to come, because of patents on every day items he had either designed or invested in. So, money for rebuilding wouldn't be no issue. And in reviewing all his stock portfolios, Watari had stocks in the now the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation, which made Nate Rivers, Watari's beneficiary, an investor in the company.

That could be an opening to see Shinto Izanagi later on.

For now, he would stick to garnering that interview with Light Yagami's assistant, a man whom L thought was a fraud. L spoke to the man in French, baiting him. There was something off with the man's accent. He spoke excellent Français, but, and call it detective intuition, anyone that connected to Light Yagami, now warranted investigating. And he still wanted to speak with Demetre Draycott, Light Yagami's childhood friend.

He tried to think, something nagged at his mind, but there was just too many distractions at the moment. Whatever was bothering him would later come. His mind was still sharp. The Tsuki-Yoki Corporation connection with 'Moon God' and Light Yagami when he saw the stock index was a leap, but it was starting to become an interesting lead. The channel just happened to be on an International news station with world stocks being profiled on the ticker.

It was funny, it was as if some other-worldly had purposely put that channel on for L to see. Any other local UK station wouldn't have Japanese stock market numbers on the ticker. He didn't believe in divine intervention, but with the existence of Quindecim, his mind was open to all sorts of possibilities now.

"Damn you, Light Yagami. You're going to pay for this!" he said, looking out at the destruction of Wammy House. It looked like something someone would see when they entered a war zone anywhere in the Middle East. "And I will be the one to personally send you back to Hell. This I vow!"

_To be continued..._


	19. Brother Of Morph

L kicked a small piece of rumble with a shoe as he readied himself to leave the area. He couldn't believe his childhood home was gone. It was shocking and it made him angry. But he calmed himself, because he knew only cool heads prevailed. He wasn't sure where he was going to go, but Nate had connections, and he would ask him for a place to stay until be could get settled elsewhere. Maybe a hotel for a couple of days?

With Light Yagami changing his name, because he knew he would be a hunted man with it, L, too, thought it may be worth while to don a pseudonym for a time, to get close to his prey. He would have to anyway, eventually. Everyone thought he was dead, and maybe, it was best the world thought so.

Nate—or N—now had his mantle, and he could help Nate whenever deemed. But as for L, the greatest detective, it was finally time to put it to rest. Retire it, per se. Out of respect for his mentor, Quillish.

He was told he had a distinctive look, so maybe a slight makeover, too.

Two young kids, a boy and a girl, approximate ages both, maybe ten years old, approached him, and stood next to him on either side. The boy had black hair, while the girl had blonde pigtails. He thought all the kids had gone on the school bus. Then he realized these weren't kids.

To play the part, both of them held L's hands to make it appear that an adult was in the care of scared children. Just then, he caught the eye of a photographer, and his picture was taken of the heartwarming scene. The average public wouldn't know who he was, and would think he was just some councillor for the school, and were looking after two children who had gotten separated from the pack. But if Light Yagami saw it, his cover would be blown.

Suddenly, the photographer swore, L heard. "Crap, error. Damn it!"

The picture had not been saved? The photographer seemed to try to rectify the problem, but then he gave up. He was the last one on the scene. All the other media had since left. He then left too without the picture.

L looked to the boy, he appeared to have been staring directly at the photographer when the error occurred.

"The Shinigami really did a number on this place," Clavis, the boy, said, blinking. He looked up at L, L looked down at him. "I'm sorry, this is all our fault. It's obvious who attacked Wammy House."

"Yes, it is Quindecim's fault," L said straightly, sparing nothing. He was upset, but kept it internal. "If Light Yagami was under lock and key, then these kids would still have a place to call home. Instead, they are being shipped to another orphanage an hour's drive from here." It was a harsh, but true. "Luckily, Watari built several orphanages. Wammy House was exclusively for gifted children."

For a moment, the situation with Quindecim reminded L of the justice system in basically every country, who released criminals back out into the public knowing full well that they will reoffend. Sometimes, the courts were stupid. And, all of a sudden, he thought of Kira, or rather Light Yagami, and how he dealt with criminals. He stopped criminality in its tracks by preventing the release and the reoffending from happening.

Light Yagami dealt with them on a permanent basics.

However, the same thing had just happened with Light Yagami. He had escaped and reoffended. No one had policed Kira, and now Kira was again a thorn in L's side.

The evil that was done here, Light Yagami deserved retribution. But L couldn't start thinking like Kira. That would go against his entire belief system and the purpose of why he was here.

He sighed. "I'm sorry," he said to Clavis and Castra, who had just been standing on either side of him, silent, perhaps in quiet reflection of events, or in guilt. Neither had responded to his blame of Quindecim failing to keep Light Yagami within. "How would you have known what would occur, and who would be involved?"

"No, you're right. Light Yagami is pure evil," came a young sounding voice from behind them.

They all turned at once, to see a young boy, say, thirteen years old, and just over four feet tall, with white hair, wearing black antiquated Roman attire, with sandals, a tunic, and, also, black fingerless gloves. He also wore a white belt that had a pouch on his right side. Inserted, was what looked like a black leather bound book.

"Greetings, Louis Lawliet, and company—both of whom are from the Quindecim realm," the boy said. "You are the only one's who can see me, much like the owner of a Death Note and a Shinigami." Before any questions could be asked, he said: "I know all about you, Clavis and Castra, and L. I have watched you from a far, for quite some time, even in my enmeshed state."

"Morph?" L offered a guess, although it was only that.

"Morph?" the boy replied the question with an inquiry. "Ah, no, but I can understand the confusion. By looks alone, my twin brother and I are alike, but we dress opposed and for good reason. I am nothing like my mischievous brother in both body and action."

The boy then smiled, and gave a respectful bow.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly. My name is Menace, and I am Morph's twin brother. He is the order one, by three minutes. But I am the more mature sibling. But by deeds, he is the more conniving."

"I find that contrary to your namesake," L expressed. "Menace: the word implies danger, hazard or threat. As in, the menace in his voice made her want to leave him—to use it in a sentence."

Menace tilted his head with a smile. "True, but I am not my brother Morph, who embodies those qualities. I am the polar opposite, and he stole the Life Note from me." Menace took the book from his pouch and showed it.

"That's a Death Note, I know it well," L remarked. "And it was responsible for the death of my beloved mentor."

"This actually belongs to Morph. Our father gave each of us a book. Morph was given a Death Note and I was give a Life Note, polar opposites of the existence spectrum. While the Death Note kills people, a Life Note restores them, with a limited time frame—seventy-two hours. Anyone killed by a Death Note can he restored back to life, as long as other injuries don't supersede their resurrection."

"Such as being shot?" L suggested, and Menace nodded. "Can it resurrect someone who has already passed on, the time frame expired, and who has passed to the after life, say, Quindecim?"

"No," Menace said to L's question. "Once a soul has 'crossed over', it can't return—unless under extreme circumstances. You may not believe this, but there are such creatures as Reapers who collect souls to take them to their final resting place. However, a Life Note does have the ability to heal wounds at the time of a resurrection, as well. If the user writes down the method of healing, a death by gun shot wounds can be reversed."

"Why did your brother steal the Life Note?" L asked.

"Simple: Jealousy," Menace said. "He was given this special Death Note to kill Shinigami and take their energy to use for _The Brigade of Life,_ our people. We need energy to exist, so our father created this special Death Note to do such. It was taken by someone later on and sealed away in Quindecim, either for safekeeping or someone thought it was too dangerous to possess, and I was sealed away, too, believing I was a threat. Morph also uses the Life Note to take energy from beings to now feed the remainder of our people, who reside in him. He also started the war against the Shinigami, so this is his repentance, I believe is guilt."

Clavis's eyes widened. He then took an involuntary step back.

Castra noticed this, and asked, "Clavis, what is it?"

"You? You're the one that was sealed away in Quindecim?"

Just then, Clavis's appearance changed. Transforming from boy to man, he donned a complete black battle suit. His scars also returned. His true self emerged.

He then manifested a large katana by mere thought, then attacked Menace with it. Menace jumped back after the first strike, then bobbed and weaved, after subsequent attacks.

"Clavis, what the hell are you doing?" Castra shouted.

Then, with a downward thrusting strike, Clavis was pushed back by an invisible barrier.

Clavis then attacked again, ignoring any protests from Castra. Menace put up a hand, and caught the katana in his palm, stopping Clavis in his tracks. Clavis pressed on, pushing against Menace.

"You seem to be under some confusion, Clavis," Menace said seriously. "Your trepidation is unwarranted."

"He escaped!" Clavis clenched his teeth, pushing back. "He's the monster I told you about who was banished to the Void for unspeakable crimes!"

Menace repelled Clavis back, and Clavis staggered, losing his balance. He fell on his butt.

"A lie! And a foolish one at that! I was put in the Void, as you call it, because I knew too much. I know who the spy is in your realm, and who has been manipulating the path of humanity as long as time has been recorded. You have been fed misinformation. Most, if not all, is a fabrication."

"Then what part of it isn't a lie?" Clavis demanded, getting to his feet. Castra helped him up, now in her adult form.

"The part where I escaped once to go after my brother, to stop him from waging a second war against the Shinigami for the death of our parents," Menace explained. "The Shinigami known as General Anonl, who later became the Shinigami King, murdered our parents when they tried to reason with him after the Shinigami almost ravaged the entire human race to near extinction hundreds of thousands of years ago…"

"Pardon me," L suddenly interrupted. He noticed that no one around them had taken notice of the fighting that had occurred. He figured Menace must have hid them from sight when the fighting began—a branch of his power. He supposed a god-like being could do such things when the time was needed to avoid unwanted attention. But that was not what he wished to know at the moment. He continued, "Then how did you escape this time?"

"Good question," Clavis stated annoyed, but also a little confused. He lowered his katana slightly. "We would've known anything was amiss in Quindecim and then be called back to deal with it. Oculus and I are the glue that holds that realm together. If something occurred that disrupts Quindecim, I must return to assist immediately."

"Ah, yes, and perhaps this will clarify things," Menace said. He reached into his pouch. What he pulled out had been underneath the Death Note. It was small pod that fit into the palm of his hand.

Just then, with a wave of a hand, a miniature holographic image with a blue hue appeared of Oculus on its surface.

The image was pre-recorded:

" _Clavis and Castra, I trust your mission is going well? There has been some developments since your departure that warrant me to get in touch with you. Certain things that have been brought to light, and they concern the sealed Death Note, and if you are seeing this, the young man who holds the holographic pod. His name is Menace. Don't let his name fool you. He was betrayed by his brother Morph, according to information we gathered. We also caught the spy who has been feeding humanity information about our realm. However, before we caught him, he used one of the time devices to restore a person back to life. We suspect Morph also had a hand in this. We don't know where the person has gone. But she does have a connection with Light Yagami, if that helps?_ "

Oculus went into a personal description of the person who was restored back to life.

After it ended, L gasped to himself. "Kiyomi Takada," L said.

The recording continued: " _I don't understand why she is involved here._ _From my understanding of events in the Kira Affair, Light Yagami tossed her aside as just another pawn, and she burned in a truck fire after she was kidnapped by one of Kira's enemies. Since Light Yagami was resurrected, there has been some of abnormalities within the space-time continuum, for which we are attempting to fix. But, just so you know, along with Light Yagami, Louis Lawliet, and Kiyomi Takada, others are now being resurrected, and all with a direct or indirect connection to the Kira Affair, as if Light Yagami's resurrection is drawing them like a magnetic. I don't normally like to infer things of this nature outside Internal Affairs, but you must stop Light Yagami at all costs, and stop these rips in time. Good luck!_ "

The recording ended.

Clavis lowered his sword, it dematerialized. He could manifest it anytime he wished. It was a part of his supernatural arsenal, and it has been used against Morph when they had their battle.

He extended a hand to Menace, "Sorry, you are obviously not your brother," he said.

Menace shook his hand. "How could you know? Morph and I are twins. I am sorry about what he did to your family. Those scars on your face were caused in the battle you had with him?" Clavis nodded. "I can heal them for you?"

Clavis shook his head. "No, they are a reminder of the past, of my family. Your brother will pay for what he'd done!"

Menace accepted his decision. Then, as if they deflated, both Clavis and Castra returned to kid form, and the cloak and dagger of them being hidden was unmasked. Everyone was about to see them again. But Menace stayed hidden, who like a Shinigami, could only be seen by those who had touched a Death Note.

They all met up with Nate River, who was then introduced to Menace. They spoke in an area behind what was left of the rear wall of the church. The large cross remained standing, a beacon of hope in their plight against Kira.

Nate was angry, and he normally didn't let his emotions show, but he vowed that he would get revenge on Light Yagami for doing this.

"Only Yagami would instruct Shinigami to attack us like this!" Nate said angrily. "Doesn't he think about the consequences of his actions?" He clenched a fist at his side. "I'll deploy the SPK members to go after him, or this Shinto Izanagi. There are methods I can use to get results, friends in shadowy places who can be utilized."

"Don't become like Light Yagami, Nate," L said. "Focus, stay calm, and stay true to our cause. Stay true to you. Don't let Light Yagami change you. Now, tell me everything you know about Kiyomi Takada. I know she and Light were dating in university, but then things seemed to drop after Misa Amane was taken, accused in being the Second Kira. You said in passing when we in our roundtable, as I recall, that she and Light Yagami met up again?"

Nate nodded. "Takada and Yagami met up a couple of times during an investigation to coax Kiyomi to divulge information about what she knew of Kira's actions with the then splintered Kira Task Force, as she was Kira's official spokesperson at the time. She was a prominent journalist at the NHN news station. Originally, cameras and wiretaps were used, only for Light Yagami had all the cameras removed. He said it made Takada feel nervous, spied upon. Or, that's what I was told later by Touta Matsuda, the youngest of the Kira Task Force members. He is now a detective with the NPA, partnered with Shuichi Aizawa. I keep tabs on them from time to time."

L smiled thinly. "Yes, I know them well. Go on."

"During one of their meetings, Light and Takada got very close, I was told. According to information later obtained, Light Yagami said he needed to take the meetings to a new level, to get more information, and they had sex."

"Interesting," L mused. "I remember Light once saying that he would never manipulate a woman's feelings for personal gain. I guess that was a bold face lie after his true memories were restored. Go on," he then said.

Nate hesitated a moment. "I only listened to the audio, but the act lasted a good two hours, and was quite intense."

L smirked amused. "A wild stallion in the sack, the quiet ones usually are. But when methodology formulates into practise, it usually results in missteps. I suppose, with everything he does, Light Yagami is a quick study."

"They did it twice," Nate revealed. "And at one point, on the audio, Yagami even apologizes. He never told us why. But did reveal he didn't use a condom. I suspect, he may have got her pregnant, and he knew it, and had her killed, knowing full well that if he had a child, it would cause complications."

"Psychopathic bastard!" Castra said.

"My sentiments exactly," L said. "It is equivalent of someone having an abortion just for the sake of spite. Children are not asked to be born, but when they do, they must be nurtured. Before that, it is the responsibility of potential parents to oversee that they are ready. Although, people are never truly ready for the birth of a new life. I was adopted, my parents tragically died. There are some who lived in Wammy House that were discarded by their parents for their gifts. What Light Yagami did to Kiyomi Takada, if that was the reason, makes me ill."

He had been absent for a while, helping with clean-up duties, and aiding Roger Ruvie with administrative duties, so when he entered the fray, finding all them gathered together, Raye Penber was brought up to speed. He was introduced to Menace, as he had had touched a Death Note previous, and was told the whole story.

"Raye," L began. "I need you to do what you do best and be a detective. I need you to somehow infiltrate the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation and get close to Light Yagami/Shinto Izanagi. I have already spoken to his assistant, Mr. Tréy Cottré, and a meeting is being set up for business relations to occur. They will be expecting Kounna Aiueo, owner of Lucky Dragon Industries—I conducted some research on him before calling Tsuku-Yoki Tower to speak with its head—but I'll send them you instead. We can use your wonderful disguise device Quindecim has provided."

"I'll do my best. But I can't make any promises I won't try to kill the bastard!"

L smiled amused. "I understand. Just try to stay calm. It's time we conduct some gorilla warfare tactics."

He turned to Clavis and Castra. "I would like you two to see if you can hunt down Kiyomi Takada, whenever she ended up. Hopefully, we can capture her, and send her back to Quindecim before she mets up with Light Yagami." Both Clavis and Castra agreed. "Nate, I would like you with me. And I would a full surveillance team on the Tsuku-Yoki Corporation." Nate agreed.

L and Menace met eyes. "Stop Morph, and let's restore balance," L said to the supernatural Imp. "Whether things end up back to where they were, I being dead—as long as Light Yagami is returned to Quindecim—I will accept that conclusion. But I will not falter until Light Yagami is stopped. I will not allow Kira's reign of terror to sprout anew."

"Agreed," Menace said. "And my brother's reign of terror stopped! We are partners now."

"Partners in crime prevention," L said, with a smile.

_To be continued..._


End file.
